Spring Vacation!
by huniegurl28
Summary: DWMA is giving the students a two weeks spring vacation! What could possibly go wrong? Besides Soul tasting his first alcohol, Maka's dad keeps calling, BlackStar is too worried about Tsubaki being missing to even act cocky, Crona is getting all the babes and Patty seems jealous, and then we have Lizzy who wants to go on a real first date but Kid is having issues with his body (;
1. Chapter 1

Not the Owner of Soul Eater, All credits belongs to Funimation Entertainment and Atsushi Ōkubo.

"Hey Kid"

Death the Kid briefly glance to his left, "Soul" he greeted.

Soul, with his hands tugged in his jacket's pocket grinned his pointy shark-like teeth at his friend. "Maka wanted to know what time you guys will head out,"

Kid raised both eyebrows, because it must be symmetrical, until the commotion this morning dawned on him. "Oh, the trip" he nods his head once, "We will depart as soon as Liz and Patty are done packing."

"I'm finish!" Patty, the youngest of the two Thompson sisters skipped to attention. "Let's play basketball until Lizzy is ready!" out of nowhere, a basketball bounced its way towards Patty and she quickly snatched it up and dribbles to the net.

"I'm team captain!" BlackStar jumps off a building and does a double front flip before landing swiftly on the court to join Pat.

"Be careful BlackStar" Tsubaki's soft voice emerged from the street as she walks towards the court.

"You worry too much! Don't you know that something like that is nothing for someone as godly as I am?" BlackStar posed, one hand on hip while his legs spread to shoulder length and he brings up his free hand to give her a thumps up, smirking as he did so.

"Eh… Yes of course" An oversize teardrop symbol appeared on Tsubaki's left forehead as she gave a nervous laugh.

Kid sighed and looked up to the sky. "Pat, what's taking your sister so long?" he said in a very calm voice.

"She can't decide what to bring with her and she keeps wondering about what to wear" she yells back.

Soul rolled his eyes heavenward, "Maka is in the same boat. She's been packing and unpacking for hours"

"Women." Kid simply said.

"No kidding." Soul added.

Suddenly an agonizing blow knocked Soul out conscious, Maka stood atop of him and humped.

Kid, utterly startled stepped back mistakenly into Lizzy's awaiting finger to pull his ear down.

"OW!" Death the Kid yelped and hastily steps away from the angry Liz. "What was that for!" he demanded, his right hand rubbing his ear.

"Women, huh?" Liz's haunty expression blazed at Kid. Making her look fierce and… Incredibly sexy.

Kid's eyes wandered downward to the white cut-off jacket that revealed the swell of her modest breasts and then further down to her navel to the pleasantly plumped hips which seemed wider than usual as her dark blue jeans fitted neatly all the way down to her angles. His throat instantly felt dry.

"Sissy!" Patty jumps at Liz and hugs her. Unnecessary jealousy overwhelmed the young shinigami.

"Say, where's Crona?" Maka asked out loud.

"Over here," a shaky boy with purplish-pink hair and wide frightened eyes approached awkwardly towards the group. "But I don't know how to go on vacation, I've never been in this situation before" he complained while hiding behind Maka.

"It's okay, we'll show you the ropes" BlackStar pats Crona really hard on the back than threw his head back to let out a loud laugh.

"Be nice to him!" Maka advanced to the little assassin.

Soul must have gotten up some time ago because he was back at Kid's side without him being aware of it.

"You're drooling" Soul whispered, Kid immediately straightened himself after calmly wiping his mouth with one sleeve. His usual nonchalant self nearly faltering a second time because Liz was staring at him rather intently.

"Is everything well?" he asked.

She blinked once. Twice. Then a smirk appeared but otherwise continued to remain soundless. Turning around, she sashayed her way to the bench that Tsubaki was occupying.

"Is there something you find so amusing?" Kid asked irritably to a snickering Soul.

"Nothing at all" he replied, grinning.

The game of basketball continued on another round until BlackStar dashed off "Let's go!" yelled back over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight.

"BlackStar wait!" Tsubaki pleaded as she runs after him, "you forgot your bag!"

Some distance behind, Crona was being pushed by Patty to move forward while Soul followed closely behind Maka. Leaving Kid and Lizzy to cover the rear. He sighed and was about to address Liz until the sight of her bending down to pick up her bag all but forced him to remain rigidly still. By the time she stood back up to her full height, Kid had already been consumed by a strange bittersweet sensation.

"Ready?" she inquired,

'What answer do I give?' he asked mentally,

"Kid?"

Clearing his throat, he picks up two identical suitcases and stiffly walks after the others. Lizzy fell into steps beside him.

"You know, you've been acting weird lately" she commented, "are you getting sick?"

"Shinigamis don't get sick" he announced proudly.

"Hey Kid"

"Yeah?"

"Can I call you Kiddo?"

"Absolutely NOT!" he raged.

"Much better" she giggled, "now there's the Kid that I know."

Flustered and somewhat amused, a small smile almost found its way to his lips… Almost. They walked for a while, both enjoying each other's company in peace. That was until Kid noticed that she was starting to shiver.

"Are you cold?" he stopped, waiting for an answer so he could remove his sweat shirt for her to use.

"Mm? Oh no, actually uhmm..." His full attention snap to Liz's worried face, waiting for her to speak her mind. And the fact that he's even waiting in the first place made him curious. Liz isn't the type to hesitate on anything, unless it's got something to do with ghosts and monsters.

Kid calculated up to seven minutes and forty nine seconds that they'd stood there, him watching her watching the ground. Wondering and beginning to feel concern, hoping that whatever it is, it isn't going to be bad news for anyone.

"Elizabeth" he said softly. Lizzy's bewildered eyes scanned his face before he realized what he said.

"It's nothing" she said quickly and power walked away from him so fast, he was forced into jogging while trying to balance his two heavy cases. 'What in symmetrical damnation is wrong with her?'

* * *

"Hang on a second" Maka paused suddenly, "Have we decided where to go yet?"

Everyone was stomped by the question, "I thought we were going to Hawaii" Tsubaki scratched the back of her head, laughing nervously.

"NO!" Crona exclaimed, "I heard about that place. That everyone always wants to hug you, trying to kiss your cheeks and give you things like flower necklaces to show their hospitality… I wouldn't know what to do in that situation!" he panicked and Patty laughed openly at him.

"Well I don't know about you guys but the last time we went to Italy, I was denied from eating great pasta" Soul glared at Maka, who was purposely ignoring him.

"How about Ireland?" Death the Kid suggested and everyone turned around to stare at him.

"What could possibly be in Ireland that's got you interested?" Lizzy asked in an ironic tone. Kid shrugged his shoulders "I occasionally stop by for a few drinks," he admitted.

"Woah! You drink?"

"Occasionally"

A few long seconds past and everyone could not think of anything to say. A few more seconds ticked by then Patty began laughing and Crona spoke up "Maybe we should go to Hawaii after all," Everyone but Patty whipped their heads around to stare at him next. "I just don't want to see a drunken shinigami!" he said defensively. "I wouldn't know what to do in that situation" he mumbled under his breath.

"Okay! It's settled, last one to beach has to dance the hula!" Patty shrieked excitedly and hopped into the portal.

Blackstar pushed Crona in before jumping into it, then Tsubaki and Liz tailed after them.

"Sooo" Soul dragged, "Wanna make a pit stop to Ireland before meeting up with the others?" his familiar grinned indicated something mischievous.

"I don't particularly care" Kid lied. Truth is, he's been craving something that can burns his throat. "But, the others?"

"BlackStar will keep a watch on them, and besides" the portal flashed and displayed a field with a medieval looking castle far in the distance. "You look like you need a drink" he hops in and Kid watched him free-falling towards a clearing.

An image of Lizzy's angry expression came to mind and made him shutter.

"You coming?" Soul yelled from the other side.

Sighing for the nth time that day, he casually stepped through the portal and skateboarded downward to the clearing.

"This needs to be brief"

"We'll be quick, now hurry up and lead the way" Even though he said that, Soul was already walking towards a town not too far from where they stood while Kid was following the map from his memories to his favorite bar.


	2. Chapter 2

"P-please don't touch me" Crona backed away until his back hit the wall.

"Aloha!" a young attractive lady with long wavy dark hair, brown eyes, and a heart stopping smile walked towards Crona with open arms, intending to give him a big hug.

"No! Please!" he screamed amd Patty laughed at him.

The Hawaiian slowed her walk and replaced her smile with a look of concern, "What's wrong, boy?" she asked.

"Ive never been in this situation before!"

The lady smiled, "Is that all? You silly" again she smiled and boldly marched at him and gave him the long delayed hug.

"Ehhh," he stood rigidly still, too nervous about the hug to notice that Patty had stopped laughing.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" the lady brought her arms back so that her hands could lightly grip his shoulders, "we're all friends here, no need to be so scared"

He stayed silent,

"You remind me of a little kitten, lost and frightened" one hand came up to touch his face. "We won't let anything happen to you here, right girls?" She yelled that question over her should and a group of pretty Hawaiian girls cheered and happily surrounded Crona.

"Aww! He's so cute!" said one with a flower around her head like a crown.

"You poor thing, did someone hurt you?" said another lady who held his left arm,

Another hugged his right arm, "And you're so thin! Come, let us feed you honey,"

"O-oh okay" he shakily and let the group guild him to the guest of honor's table.

"Hey! Wa-wait for me!" Patty ran to keep up with them.

* * *

'BlackStar, I don't think you're supposed to be climbing that" Tsubaki told him and looking around at the locals' angry faces. "You're offending the people here"

BlackStar finally made it to the head of the statue of a giant man in a royal Hawaiian robe, holding a spear

"How come this guy gets a statue made of himself? Whats so great about him!" he yelled at the statue's face.

"It says here in the inscription that his name is King Kamehameha, and he was a great leader to his people" Tsubaki informed him.

"Oh yea? Well I am even greater than the great king! My name is BlackStar, you hear me!? I surpass all gods and kings!" he then let out a loud laugh,

"Blackstar please get dow-" something heavy hit Tsubaki in the back of her head, and while her unconscious body was being dragged away into the shadows, BlackStar continued laughing at the top of the statue; Oblivious to all the angry faces and the fact that Tsubaki's voice had long ago stopped.

* * *

Maka and Liz had been waiting by the portal for nearly six hours before a drunken boy-weapon and a drunken shiniami appeared before them.

"Where in the hell were you!" Maka screamed into Soul's ears.

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Lizzy exploded with the same amount of force.

"Chillaaaaax~" Soul drawled, "Isn't that the motto here?"

"Hey beautiful" Death the Kid wrapped his arms around Lizzy's waste until a thought crossed his hazy mind, "I can't remember the last time I've seen so many unsymmetrical objects" he looked around, bewildered by the unbalanced nature of the place. "I don't like it here"

"Say" Soul stumbled towards the beach, "there's a luau going on, let's join em!" He dragged Maka with him to a group of party goers.

Lizzy pushed Kid away from her and smacked him across his handsome face. "Where have you been?" she demanded, "Do you know how long I've been standing here?"

Rubbing his cheek, he tried to block out the stinging pain to pay enough attention to Lizzy. "I apologize," he said after forcing some sense back into his brain. "What can I do, as a token to make this up?"

The sudden opportunity to get what she'd wanted to ask earlier was too good to pass up. But does she dare to voice it?

"Umm," she hesitated 'don't be chicken!' she ordered herself. 'He owes you a favor and this is your chance!' the self-booster talk worked, giving her enough courage to finally spit it out. "Take me out on a date"

Death the Kid, Shinigami, and son of the Reaper was no longer drunk. He stood straight, observing Lizzy suspiciously, once he shook his head. A moment later he opened  
his mouth but shut it again.

"Umm I was kidding!" Liz added and walked away again.

"What? Wait!" Kid snatched her wrist and brought her to face him again. Silvery liquids were emerging from the corner of her eyes. 'Damn! I took too long!'

"I'd love to go on a date" weirdest thing about saying that, was that he subconsciously meant it. "First thing tomorrow?"

A glint flashed through her eyes, "Eight o'clock?"

"For you, we can make that seven."

"That's an unsymmetrical time, kiddo"

His face turned dark by that, "I told y0u not to call me that" he growled.

"Yeah, well that's your punishment. Serves you right for making me worry."

Male satisfaction swirled in the air around them, "You were worried about me?"

"Don't get a big head" she slipped her hand away and resumed to walking away, forcing him to follow her again. "Seven is a bit too early for my taste and I've promised Patty that we'd go surfing at ten. So, how about we meet up for lunch?"

"That's fine, Soul wanted to go see…" he coughed the rest away, cursing himself for nearly letting that slip.

"What did he want to see?" she asked in a strained tone.

"He wanted to walk around town"

"Oh, you mean sightseeing?"

"I suppose so" that was a close one.

Liz was not fooled by this. Something was up, and she was suspicious.

'Maybe I'll follow them around tomorrow, oh but Patty!' she couldn't very well bring her sister along as a spy, she'd be too obvious. She sighed, I'll have to beg for a reins check.

'Damn she's suspicious!' Kid knew, 'I should probably warn Soul,'

A faint sound of a piano kept getting louder and louder as they approached. Soul and Maka were in the lobby of the hotel that their rooms are checked in. Locals and tourist were forming a circle around a white grand piano, where a boy with white spiky hair played an unfamiliar piece that would make you think about a haunting bittersweet mixture of great joy and great pain. Then the boy picked up the tempo that made your heart beat like it's running a marathon. The thrilling sensation of being chased, always running and hiding, dodging and diving into holes or little cracks, hoping that whomever is hunting you would just going away. And then he slowed the play into a soft melodic harmony. A feeling that put you at ease, of being in a place filled with warmth and laughter. There was something else, something stronger; something beyond passion and acceptance. 'But what is it?' Kid couldn't figure it out.

Maka knew though, watching Soul playing, always listening to the subtle messages. She couldn't say how she knew, just that she can hear what everyone else was feeling about the piece.

Lizzy however, so caught up with the memories that the piece brought back made her feel shattered and scared. Before Kid, she and her sister were on the streets, fighting to eat, to breathe, and to be. The dark corners of her mind filled her head of past horrors, of their dead parents, old betrayals of friends. So overwhelmed she was, she snuck away from Kid's side to her room, but on her way she noticed something strange. Two men moving swiftly like ninjas, dragging a third party with them through a portal.


	3. Chapter 3

"I wonder…."

"Tsubaki!" BlackStar abruptly stopped running and leaned over, panting and sweating. "Oh, it's you Liz" he said while trying to catch his breathe. "Have you seen Tsubaki? I can't find her anywhere."

"Have you checked her room?" she asked him.

He froze, mouth agape in stupid stun. "No, I didn't" he admitted sourly.

"You should probably go check it then," Kid suggested, walking casually towards the two of them. "Funny that it seems to be _a thing_ for women to sneak off without the consent of others," He said pointedly at Liz. "It could save us from unnecessary worry, speaking of which, what are you doing out here?" he asked nonchalantly to Liz, as if he hadn't been worried at all.

"I was heading to my room"

"Ah well, here we have it BlackStar; to the rooms it seems. Come come, I will join you in your quest to find Tsubaki." He said lightly, already spotting the elevator. "By the way, what is her room number?" he asked over his shoulder.

"The girls are sharing the same room, something they said is called a slumber party. What is that by the way?"

"Mm, I think it means that they are partying in their slumber," Kid crossed one arm across his stomach to use it as a support for his elbow while he rest his chin with the palm of his hand.

"It's something like that" Liz pitched in, "a slumber party is also known as pajamas party. Basically you wear your sleeping clothes are the required attire, and usually you play games, talk about girly things, or watch a movie and all that fun stuff until everyone falls asleep." She informed.

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense." Kid decided,

They stepped off the elevator into a hallway with light greenish walls and carpeted floors in a darker green color. Doors stood out evenly across in two by twos, and are all symmetrically a lined, with the total of ten doors on each side.

"It's perfect!" Kid praised, observing the floors, the ceiling with miniature chandeliers in between every other doors and the single window at the end of the hallway with a table and a vest filled with colorful tropical flowers. "Absolute symmetry, who was the interior designer? I must speak to this person at once!"

"Tsubaki!" BlackStar kicked the door down, "are you in here?!"

"Oh, are you the room service?" asked an elderly old man wearing a flowery shirt and brown shorts, both hands on a finely crafted wooden cane.

"Uh, no… Sorry wrong room." BlackStar dashed off to break down the next nearest door on the same wall.

The old man poked his head out to watch, "these youngsters, heheheh."

"Whats that dear?" an old lady appeared beside the old man.

"Just a couple of kids are playing out in the halls"

"Aww how sweet" she peeked out, "would you like some cookies dears?" The old lady asked Kid and Liz.

"What is this cookie you speak of?" Kid asked.

"It's delicious! That's what it is" Soul staggered forward, one arm draped around Mala for support. "Hey young lady, I'd like a cookie."

"Oh my," a small blush crept on the old woman's delicate cheeks.

"Ask nicely, Soul" Maka scolded him.

"May I have some cookies, pleeeease?" he drawled.

"Charming young man he is, isn't he dear?" the old lady said to the old man.

"Mhmm," he agreed, "Mariam, why don't we get those cookies, mmm?"

"And milk too!" she chirped and together they went through a door seeking the direction of the kitchen.

"I keep telling you! I don't know who this Tsubaki is!" A man yelled from out in the hallway.

"LIAR!" a second voice roared.

"I'll get him," Kid casually strolled out. A few seconds later, loud banging sounds and a yelp was all they could hear before silence then he came back; despite the fact that he was dragging an unconscious BlackStar by the angle, Kid's manner remained indifferent. "He shouldn't be much trouble for a while,"

"Screw you!" BlackStar jumped up, using his incredible speed, he appeared in front of Kid and upper-cut him square in the guts.

"Oufffff!" Kid gasp.

"TSUBAKIIIIIIII!" red eyed, he jumped through the opened window and raced off into the night.

"Little brat!" Kid breathe out,

"I hope Tsubaki is alright, BlackStar is really worried." Maka whispered to Liz,

"Bwahahahaha! She left him! She totally left him! Hahahahahahaha!" Soul laughed, slapping his knees while going down slowly.

"Would you please show a little concern?" Maka demanded.

"Hehheheheheheh"

"Now Maka, he is not himself. Too much alcohol can do that to a person," Kid explained.

"Yeah, I know" she slumped.

"Who wants some cookies?" The old couples returned, one holding out a trays of chocolate chip cookies while the other presented them with a tray balancing five cups of milk.

* * *

"Here love, try some of my cooking" Said the Hawaiian lady with the flower crown.

"N-no tha-thank you," Crona gripped his fingers on the table, desperately trying to not run away from the situation.

"He doesn't want your cooking Mila!" Said another attractive lady. "Here sweetie, try mine!" she thrust her spoon forward and tapped his lips. He shook his head fiercely,

"I've had enough!" Patty yelled at the group, "Can't you all tell that he is extremely uncomfortable with the situation! Get the hell away from him!" Patty swatted the girls away to put some distance between them and Crona.

All the anxiety and stress evaporated and he visibly relaxed.

"There you go, how do you feel?" Patty cooed.

"U-uhmm. Better…. Thank you," he said shyly.

She moved her face closer to observe him, a faint blush spread washed his cheeks at her nearness.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

Patty looked up and recognized the lady instantly, she was the one that first approached Crona to give him a hug earlier this morning. Straightening her back and squaring her shoulder, she introduced herself formally.

"My name is Patty Thompson, I am Crona's schoolmate and friend.

The lady narrowed her eyes, "He didn't mention that he brought a friend with him."

"He probably would have if you'd given him enough room to breathe, I mean seriously I'm the social butterfly in our group and even I would suffocate with all that!"

"Uh, Patty… Let's go, okay? The others might be worried." He touched the spot above her elbow and pulled to get her to move.

She turned her head and smiled softly at him, "sure."

Maybe it's weird to think this, but Crona felt that this was probably the first time he'd seen a genuine smile on Patty's face. Sure, she laughs and smiles all the time.

Still, something tells him that despite the very well-constructed façade, Patty has a lot of wounds that she always tries to cover up.

However, he'll have to settle into asking questions later, because right now, with her smiling at him like this.

She bends her arm back so she could properly hold her hand into his, "let's go."

This, he gradually acknowledge, is a situation that he willingly welcomes.

* * *

"Mmm" Tsubaki moaned into soft, smooth silk. 'Silk?'

"Ahh you're awake princess," said a young male voice.

'That doesn't sound like BlackStar' she turned her head towards the general source of the voice and peeked one eye open to see the face of a handsome man dressed in a plain black ninja suit.

"Who are you?" she asked softly.

"Now you can't have forgotten me already" he said laughingly, "it's me! Masuda."

The name didn't ring a bell, so she blankly stared at him.

"I am head of the Nakamura clan."

"Nakamura- the legendary weapon clan?" she abruptly sat up in order to bow properly. "Please forgive my rudeness, milord."

Masuda tugged the outer side of his index figure under her chin to make her look at him.

"Since you're you said that rather prettily, I forgive you." Heated eyes traveled the length of her,

"Umm, pardon me for asking but… What am I doing here?" she looked around the wooden walls and the one paper-sliding door. "Where am I?"

"You are home," he said simply.

She whipped her head around, "the interior of my home is painted in forest colors" she said with absolute with her voice, "where am I?" she was beginning to feel nervous.

"Hush my love, you need more rest," he told her.

"Where's BlackStar?"

"Who?"

"BlackStar, my partner" she sniffed, already knowing that he isn't anywhere close by.

"I'm your partner!" Masuda blew up unexpectedly. "I am, by birth rights your husband to be and your wielder!" his eyes could've burned the entire room on fire with how angry he was. Even the same features on his face seems unrecognizable.

'I need to find a way to get back to the others.'

"You and I are going to be married in the next full moon," he, more or less commanded her.

"Marriage?" her face paled, "b-but, I was told that I could pick my suitor!"

A smirk formed on his mouth, "As it appears, my clan is the only one left, suitable enough for your hand."

"But that's not true! There is one other sole survivor of a clan," she said confidently, "in fact, he's beyond suitable because he's already begun the process of surpassing all gods and great kings alike." She announced proudly.

"Is that so?"


	4. Chapter 4

Deep within an active volcano, BlackStar sprints along-side steaming lava, jumps from one boulder to the next, and skilfully dodge all obstacles along the path. 'Nothing' he thought hopelessly.

"BlackStar, are you in here?" a soft female voice that sounded like Tsubaki asked from one of the tunnels he just passed by.

"Tsubaki?!" immediately he sprinted to the sound.

"Where are you BlackStar?" the voice asked.

"I'm coming! Don't be scared, I'm right here!"

He made it to a dead end, "what the?"

"BlackStar…." The voice came from another direction.

"This heat is giving you illusions BlackStar; and on top of that, I know you have yet to sleep." Kid on his skateboard stopped in front of the little assassin. "Com'on, we're all looking for her too, so why don't you take a little break? You've been running around for nearly three days."

"Tsubaki, I will not rest until I find Tsubaki,"

"Maybe she left like Soul said," Kid thought aloud to himself.

BlackStar simply stared at him, thinking over the possibility. 'Could that be true? Were you unhappy as my partner?' he thought about all the times he claimed all the credits and the few times he actually congratulated her. All those times he dashed off carelessly, leaving her behind. 'But, she always followed. She did!' this is the one time she actively left without telling me, 'I failed to follow' his head bend forward.

"Hey, BlackStar there's something I want to tell you," Liz sidestepped her way around to get to them.

"Yeah? What's up?" he asked,

"Um, remember a few nights ago when we ran into you outside the lobby!"

BlackStar was getting a sickening feeling already,

"I do remember seeing something a bit… Odd," she said nervously,

Kid and BlackStar focused on her face, taking in on her uneasiness,"

"Whatever it is Liz, please tell me. I must find Tsubaki and find out if she's alright," BlackStar said softly, making the guilt that she was already feeling close to unbearable.

"Along the side of the building, just before you came by that night, I…" she stuttered, "I-I remember seeing three people going through what looked like a portal."

"I suppose that could mean that other students from the academy are on a trip too but what does that have to do with-" the horror on BlackStar's face was heart wrecking, "what do you mean by 'odd?'" he asked, having that sickening feeling again.

"It was odd because, the third person seemed to be carried into the portal." She finally admitted. Since this morning, Liz had remembered that scene and was ashamed of herself for forgetting what might have been an important piece of information.

"I'm so sorry BlackStar" she sobbed softly.

Except he was already gone. Sprinting at top speed to get to the side of their hotel.

Back in the caves, Liz continued to sob softly, desperately trying to stop the tears and her trembling body.

"It's alright, you should feel better now that that's out of your chest," Kid wrapped his arms around her shoulder.

"This is my fault!" she wailed, "How could I forget something so important such as that? Tsubaki must be hurt or frightened somewhere and it's all my fault!"

"Tsubaki is more than capable of taking care of herself," he reassured.

"B-but"

"No buts," he said, "everything will be alright."

It was nice to hear someone saying that instead of her always having to say it. Back on the streets, she had to comfort Patty often, and now. Hearing those same words being said to you feels…. Nice.

Through her sobs, a small smile formed on her lips.

"Shhh, everything is fine now. I'm right here,"

For once in her life, she'd borrowed into someone else's shoulder and simply shed tears.

* * *

"Crona!" one of the Hawaiian girls tackled him, "Where were you yesterday? We've been looking all over," she whined.

"Sor-sorry we were, we were busy looking for someone," he said while trying to untangle himself from her.

"Crona!"

"Crona!"

"Honey!"

The same girls and seemingly others that he didn't recognize from the day before charged at him.

"We've missed you," one of them pouted,

Another pointed a finger at Patty, "you got to have him all to yourself yesterday, so it's our turn!" She yelled.

Crona wasn't flinching too much nor was he backing away from anyone like the first time.

Patty waited for a sign from him, anything that indicated discomfort. He wasn't reacting much, instead he stood there watching her decide what to do. Feeling torn but too prideful to show it, she smiled her usual cheeriness and laughed as she walked away.

If you laugh real hard, no one could ever know.

Or so she thought, Crona observed her form carefully. She really is a great actress. Even he would've fell for it had he not seen the look in her eyes. Her eyes, which she always closed when laughing like that, before her lashes blocked his view he managed to make out a small glitter that reflect from the light and the moist in her eyes.

Crona felt ashamed, because unlike him she wouldn't let a soul know when she was afraid or in pain. She simply laughs.

* * *

'I can sense the portal that Liz mentioned…..' BlackStar sniffed the air and observed his surroundings. 'Right around… Aha!'

He focused on the two sets of footprints printed side by side, 'they went that way' he ran a few feet and stopped abruptly in front of a small space between the trees. 'It was here' he sensed the faint lingering of a portal from several days ago. Closing his eye, he holds out his palm and concentrated on summoning the portal. "Portal Transport" he yelled and successfully brought it forward.

He looked inside and spotted a small village seemingly to throw a party. Women and children were dressed in nice kimonos with simple patterns while the men and older boys wore black ninja suits.

A figure covered in white robes climbed out the back of the window of the biggest house, BlackStar just about glanced away until the figure slipped out of the ropes and was now wearing her usual black fitted leggings and an off-white tank.

"Tsubaki!" he jumped through the portal.


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn," Soul murmured, "my head hurts like hell," sitting up on the soft carpeted floor, he holds his head into the palm of both hands.

"Soul?" a voice called from the other side of the door, "are you decent? I'm coming in."

Maka entered the weapon's room, flicked the light on and observed the area, "THIS PLACE IS A MESS!" she screamed.

"WOMAN, STOP YOUR YELLING! MY HEAD HURTS!" he shouted back.

"You went out drinking again, didn't you?"

"None of your business," he turned his head diligently away from her direction.

Maka face was menacing as she stood at the doorway, debating whether she should tell him off or let it go on. 'Technically it's really none of my business, he can nearly do whatever he wants. It's not like I own him or anything…' she signed sadly, "let's get you cleaned up," with that she closed the door behind her, picked up his mess, fixed the bed, helped him off the floor and into the bathroom to freshen up while she cooked him something in the kitchen.

"Damn, I did it again," Soul stared blankly at the mirror in front of him, a towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his hair to the sink. 'I really only meant to have just one bottle' he distinctly remembered promising himself to limit his glass. But one became two, and two became more and more. 'Is that it then? Suddenly, I'm an alcoholic?"

"Soul, food is ready" Maka's soft voice called from the kitchen. "I'm leaving now," she told him and left.

'What?' he pulled open the door and dashed out of his room and into the hallway, "Wait Maka!"

"Oh my, it's that charming young man again" the old lady said to her husband,

"It is and, oh dear. COVER YOUR EYES MARIAM!" the old man instantly shield the old lady's sight with his hand. "Young lad, I know you can't help yourself with all the pretty lassies around here but you really must put that away. It's illegal."

A sudden draft around his shafts made him look down to see that during his rush, the towel came off.

"Oh good symmetry! Where is your sense of pride as a man?!" Kid yelled after stepping out of the elevator, following the old man's example by covering Liz's eyes before much damage was done to her mind and Soul winds up getting reported for sexual harassment.

Belatedly, Soul ran back into his room only to run out again a few second later, fully dressed in a plain t-shirt underneath the yellow-black jacket, jeans, and shoes.

"Sorry!"

He ran down the stairs and found Maka halfway down the next set. "Maka!"

"Huh?"

Soul, because of the speed he was running on had no time to stop.

"Owwww~" Maka's back and her head hurt from the slam against the wall. "Was that really necessary?"

"Sorry" he said quickly, then took a step back. He gave an apologetic goofy grin. "Let's do something today, just you and me, eh? What do yah say?"

She smiled, "sounds great, but why don't we help the others find Tsubaki first?"

"Tsubaki? Is she missing?" he looked stunned.

"It's been three day"

"Damn!" he paced back and forward, "how's BlackStar handling this?"

"Wildly," she informed him sadly.

"Well, once you two are ready, we may head out and join BlackStar" Death the Kid head poked out and looking down from the next set of stairs directly above them.

"Where's Liz?" Soul wondered, Kid glared at him for a split second before clearing his throat,

"I send her off to find her sister and Crona," he explain, "They'll meet us by the portal,"

"The portal?" Maka and Soul asked at the same time.

"I'll explain on the way"

* * *

Liz stood beside her unusually quiet sister, then shift her attention to a usually sad looking Crona. "Umm, it's such a nice day! Isn't it?"

"I guess" both replied solemnly,

"Oh look! Pretty flowers!" she quickly walks over to a set of tropical flowers to observe them, 'what the hell is wrong here?' she faked her smile when her sister swatted down beside her to look.

"Hey… Sis" Patty whispered.

"Yeah?" she whispered back, relieved that her sister was talking again.

"How did your date go?" she asked,

Everyone had been so busy looking for Tsubaki that the long-awaited date didn't happen. Even-more-so, she'd forgotten all about it.

"We're here," Kid announced as he strolled casually up to Liz. "Looking at flowers?" he asked lightly and smiled when she look up at him.

"Their pretty" Liz shyly replied,

"Very pretty," he agreed but somehow Patty knew he wasn't talking about the flowers as she watched the open-affection between her sister and meister, and envied them for it. Little did she know, Crona had been watching too and attempted to do the same.

"That right there is the hibiscus, isn't it?" He leaned over and gave an awkward smile, Patty beamed at him fully.

"Uh huh!"

Both girls' hearts were melting while the while the guy's chests were beating frantically.

"How about a double date?" Soul said out-loud to no one in particular, but at the same time, to everyone within hearing as he and Maka snickered past the set of pairs.

"No thanks, I'd prefer my date to contain only me and my lady," Kid said and winked at Liz.

"I think, a double date is not private enough," Crona stood straight and Patty laughed at him.

"You always want privacy," she teased him.

"Well yeah… But given the situation, wouldn't it be better if we were alone?" he dared to ask boldly.

Everyone caught the 'we' part in his question and were stunned at the implication, but Lizzy's jaw was the only one that dropped.

Patty blushed, thought about his question for a moment then nodded shyly.

"Ahem" Maka pointed at the portal, "I don't mean to be rude but shouldn't we go after Tsubaki and BlackStar?"

"Uh- right!" Kid reacted, "Liz, Patty. Transform,"

"Yes'sir" Liz said,

"Okay!" Patty chirped,

And together, both sister became light before the group until a pair of twin pistols reformed itself and magically flew into each of Kid's hands.

"You ready?" Crona asked over his shoulder.

"I was born ready!" a black long sword with a pair or full red lips morphed out of his back and straight into his wielding hand. "Let's get this party started! Yahahahaha!"

"Soul" Maka held out her hand for Soul to take into his. After doing so, he grinned at her just before his body shimmered and turned into a scythe while her hand kept a firm grip to his until she was holding a long metal-like handle.

"Last one there," Soul said as Maka positioned herself to jump through the entry, "Will NOT have a drink."

"Oh, well in that case" Maka straightened herself as the other two jumped in with their weapons, Soul chuckled at her instant reaction.

"I knew you would" the blade teased,

"How so?" she asked in mock innocence.

"You can relax Maka, I don't plan on touching that stuff for a good while,"

"Well I'm for one, am glad to hear this."

"Because under-age drinking is not cool?"

"No Soul, it's not cool." She responded and he chuckled some more.

"Hey Maka, how about we join the others on this 'private date' once we get back. Mmh?"

She considered the question then shrugged her shoulders, "Sounds cool," came her short reply and a fond smile at the sound of his laughter. Bending her knees, she prepared herself for a leap, "here we go" she warned him and jumped through space only to land in a field hidden out of sight from the villagers.

"About time,"

* * *

Tsubaki climbed out of the window and quickly but silently slips out of the traditional wedding robes. 'Much better' she delighted and snuck away into the trees.

Meanwhile, BlackStar sprinted from his spot in the clearing towards the center of the village and continued running until he reached the main house. Most ordinary people only felt a strong breeze when he ran by them, except the ninjas and the head of the Nakamura clan, Masuda who stood out in his heavy black and maroon robes and golden belt-tie.

"Seize him!" he yelled and suddenly BlackStar was surrounded by a great deal number of ninjas.

'What?! I've been spotted?' he looked around and observed his many opponents. 'These are no ordinary ninjas' he decided after looking each one in the eyes, they were all weapons and humans mixed.

"What business have you to come in this place?" the deep voice came from the man wearing the maroon and black robes.

"Shut up!" the blue haired boy yelled at him and jumped close to thirty-feet high in the air to land at the top of the main house. Hold his palms up, he yells even louder towards the woods, "TSUBAKI!"

'Uh?' Deep in the woods, his missing companion threw herself from the branch to the ground and sprinted back towards the main house. 'I'm coming!' was her repeated for the past three days.

Masuda and several of his men were watching the boy call out the name of his bride. 'So this is the one?' angered, he withdrew his katana and charged after the boy. Which the boy reflected with the side of his arm and aimed a kick at his attacker's knee but missed as the man jumped back just in time from his counter.

"Are you BlackStar of the Star Clan?"

"Are you the kidnapper?" he challenged back,

"Nnh? Kidnapper?" his head came back as he let out a loud laugh. "How can one kidnap his own bride?" he asked laughingly.

"How can one kidnap the bride of another?" he countered darkly. His face filled with menace and promises of great pain.

Masuda stopped laughing and simply studied the boy whose eyes reminded him of demons. Of an old enemy known as WhiteStar. "You are a monster," he told the boy, "That tattoo belongs to the demon clan." He pointed at the side of the boy's shoulder that contained an outline of a star. "You will die for everything your clan has damaged and stole from us," the old hurt enflamed his hungry for vengeance.

And they stood there, staring each other down; both anticipating on a move. "You will from me no more!" the head ninja bellowed and charged after the boy.

* * *

Liz stood before the female Meister and weapon, both hands tugged in the back of her pockets.

"Ummm…. Why are you in a human form and…. Where did the popcorn come from?" Maka inquired,

Liz shrugged one shoulder and turned her head away to look at Patty, "things seems to just pop out of nowhere for Patty." She shook her head, "no idea, we looked down and the scene and decided that maybe we'll just sit back and watch from up here, unless BlackStar needs us which I doubt. Around that same moment, Patty mentioned how it's like watching a movie and….. " She clicked her tongue, "a popcorn appeared for her to eat,"

SOUL transformed back to his human form and joined Kid and Crona at the edge, overlooking the village. "How's it going?

He asked to either one,

"It appears that a wedding was just crashed," Kid smirked at the commotion going on far below. A grown man and a blue haired boy around his mid-teens were fighting on the rooftop of what seemed to be the main house. "Popcorns are much in order; Patty! Do you mind sharing?" he called out in his rich-boy voice.

The younger Thompson sister bounced happily in-between Kid and Crona while Maka walked up to stand behind Soul, and Liz on the other side of Kid. "So, what do we do now?" one of them asked.

"Now, we enjoy the show," Soul grinned and snatched some popcorn for himself.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh no! I should've left sooner!" Tsubaki watched in horror as BlackStar and Masuda fought with all their straight on the rooftops of the Nakamura house.

'BlackStar is tough, but Masuda is older with more skills and knowledge' she paced nervously, because in all honesty, she didn't want either one to get hurt. Masuda may have been forceful at first but there's another side to him that she has gotten to know. However that wasn't the reason why she delayed her leave. The real reason was standing within the crowd in tears. A small figure of a little girl with long dark brown hair and curly locks wearing a soft pink kimono with sakura flower patterns drawn in an aqua color that matched her aqua belt. "Mya" the shy little sister of Masuda whom Tsubaki had grown very fond of.

Tsubaki darted forward and jumped as high as she could, when she landed, she held her palms out on either side of her as she stood in-between the ninja and assassin.

The fight momentarily stopped as Masuda and BlackStar stared at their reason for the commotion, "Tsubaki!" BlackStar called and sprinted to her, tossed her high up in the air then jumped up after her to embrace her while they 'flew'.

* * *

"Well isn't that adorable," Soul drawl jokingly to Kid whom was trying to hold back from laughing. Lizzy, Maka, and Crona were in tears.

"It's so touching!" one of them wailed and together they cried harder. Patty was distracted by a butterfly that landed on a leaf.

"Butteeeeerfly! Butteeeeerfly! Butteeeeerfly!" she chanted.

"You know, there was a reason why I closed that blasted portal," Leilani, the Hawaiian lady that hugged Crona on the first day appeared behind the group that were watching the scene. "What would happen if a normal human tourist were to wander off and ended up here? Seriously now." She shook her head while the others turned around to stare at her in shock. Patty and Crona even more so.

* * *

Meanwhile, high up in the air, BlackStar and Tsubaki were arguing about the fight he's having with Masuda.

"You need to stop this!" she insisted,

"Why should I?" he argued back.

"He's not a bad person BlackStar,"

He shook his head grudgingly, refusing her words. "Right, because kidnapping is an okay thing in my dictionary too." He said sarcastically.

"It's hard to explain the kind of person he is," her voice faltered while gravity finally got ahold of them and was now pulling them downward, BlackStar shifted his arms so he could hold her up in a princess carry. When he landed, he directed his monstrous glare at the man across the way.

Masuda watched the two as his hand was slowly reaching for his sword, until a voice called out his name. Mya was waving her little arms frantically from her place on the ground. She was distressed, he could tell and felt heartbroken when she began begging for them to stop fighting.

"You, take my sister inside" he directed to one of his minions,

Tsubaki was dismayed at Masuda's indifference, BlackStar noticed and observed both head male ninja and the little girl down below. An unwanted sort of understanding emerged in his mind as he placed Tsubaki on her feet again.

"Tsubaki" BlackStar said softly, "that little girl… Is she?" Tsubaki nodded in relief. "Damn, how do we always find these people?" it came out as a complaint but Tsubaki knew that in a way it was more like an irony.

"Listen up you thief!" BlackStar called out to the head ninja, a huge teardrop symbol formed on Tsubaki's forehead, 'is he seriously planning to stop a fight with that sort of speech?' BlackStar, knowing what just went through her mind gave her an apologetic glance.

"I don't know how to be civilized," he reminded her, "I am going to need some help if you want this to end."

A soft smile found its way to her lips. She than shift her gaze to the man before them, "Please Masuda, this fight is pointless, stop this now."

Masuda clearly wasn't expecting that. "Wa-why should I?"

"Because your sister needs you to," she walked over slowly to him, BlackStar remained where he stood. "She's frightened and doesn't understand what's going on."

"Masuuuuu!" the little girl's wailed again,

* * *

"Closed the portal?" Maka directed her confused gaze at the stranger. "But, how?"

"She's a witch!" Kid stepped forward; both Patty and Liz transformed and flew in his hands. Soul also reformed as soon as he made contact with Maka, Crona was already holding out his sword.

The witch raised an eyebrow at the group, "Oh, so because I'm a witch, I'm automatically an enemy?" Her face turn disgusted, "Do me a favor and keep the mid-evil era where it belongs. I've done nothing wrong, I can't help that I was born with powers."

"How do we know you're not evil?"

"How do I know that YOU'RE not?" she countered, "for all I know, you've probably killed with those things. I am of the healing sort, never once a soul died by my hands."

The group lowered their weapons, "Do you promise us no harm if we let you go?" Crona asked.

"You especially should sense that I've never meant any such thing" Her voice and eyes softens when looking at Crona. "One of my powers can pick up emotions; this helps me when I am working on healing. From you, sorrow and confusion were the strongest. My only intention was to befriend with you and maybe help in any way I could."

"He already has good friends" Patty murmured her jealousy loud enough only for her sister and meister to hear.

"Now Patty" Lizzy warned and she humped, Kid hid a small smile at this.

"You two may shape shift back," Kid released his grip on the pistols and both turned to humans again.

"Anyways, I take it Mr. Blue found his missing link?" the Hawaiian lady walked over to look at the scene, "that's good, he's been harassing my customers." She laughed,

"Yeah, that's BlackStar for you," Lizzy said with a smile, liking the stranger already.

"BlackStar? Is he by chance of the Star Clan?" Everyone raised a questioning brow at her, "What?"

"Uh, we are just shocked is all" Kid cleared his throat, Soul finally transformed to his human self, hand still holding Maka's. "Since you're no threat, want some popcorn?" Soul offered and around the same time, Crona picked up the bag of popcorn that Patty placed on the tree trunk. Patty sulked at his niceness towards Leilani when he offered the bag. She then turns around to fix her eyes on the view down below; Leilani with her witchly powers picked up on Patty's jealousy and kindly rejected the food.

* * *

"Hey" BlackStar said, walking up to stand beside Tsubaki. "We ran into a samurai once, he was also protecting a witch child" he told him, Masuda didn't react about his implication of knowing what his sister is. "I can see why you think you need Tsubaki, she has the enchanted sword and other legendary weapons that could help you defeat any threat to your sister."

"If you know that much than surrender yourselves, Tsubaki come back to my side as your place" he ordered.

"Now, that part may never happen," BlackStar said with a cocky grin, "Or at least, I won't let it. You see, I'm a bit selfish" with that, his arm snacked around Tusbaki's shoulder. "Sorry, you'll need to find someone else."

"Hey you!" someone yelled from down below.

"Move you idiot! There's a child crying in there, I need to comfort her!" Leilani was being pushed back by the ninjas. Every one of them held out swords and began crowding her.

"Witch Path" Leilani murmured and magically zig-zaged through the ninjas until she was inside the main house.

"Wh-who was that?" Masuda pointed at the female that out smarted his guards.

"That would be Leilani, the good witch that heals" Kid skateboarded to middle of the group.

"A witch?" horrified, Masuda jumped off the roof to the balcony and sprinted inside. He ran by a room with a barrier and used his sword to slice through it. Once inside, the lady that he saw was cradling Mya in her arms, singing a tune to soothe the little girl. For a moment his fingers griped the handle of his sword a little too hard, and in the next moment he simply stood there, letting himself be entranced by how lovely she is in her long green dress that revealed her shoulders and a little bit of cleavage. He also picked up her scent, the smell of nature's powerful healing herbs mixed with spicy sandalwood. Her wide rounded hips act like a cushion when she sat with her legs tugged in. Everything about her screamed woman.

Leilani looked up to the stranger that broke through her 'send away' barrier. Continuing her tune, she observed the intruder and was easily able to find connection between him and the little one in her arms. She smiled at him.

Masuda left for a few minute to give instructions to everyone to get out of the house. Then he went to fetch a comforter, a few pillows, and a wrap to act as a blanket.

As he walked around the house, he thought about his parents. His father, the late ninja master of the Nakamura clan and his mother who was the witch he married;

Their death had been a case of bad timing.

His father left on a mission with most of his minions, leaving the village vulnerable which was the time of the attack. From what he'd gathered, several witches had been hunting his mother to diminish her for her betrayal by leaving the witch circle. She'd also actively killed some of them with her magic, in order to save her beloved new home and family. But one night, something or someone managed to lure his pregnant mother of over eight moons out in the fields. She clearly thought that it was his father's because she kept saying his name and that she was coming. Curious, the boy followed his mother, wondering if his father truly did return home at last. Once she got out there, the imposter directed a poisonous magic in her heart that also spread throughout her veins. After describing in gruesome details of what the poison is capable of, the second witch left the scene and flew off into the night.

After he'd seen the other witch leave, the little boy sprinted to his mother's side in tears and witness her using the last bit of her magic to cut herself open. When she succeeded, she took the outer wrapper from around her shoulder and covered the crying baby the best she could in her painful state. After which, she gently entrust her baby to her first born.

_"Tala biei laun, molstra elop ba-tingh"_ witch tongue for 'my brave one, protect your baby sister'

Her bloody hands came up to touch his face, and then died right before him. Her body shimmered in a bright light and vanished into thin air.

Cradling the little girl, he decided through his pain that her name would be Mya, which was taken out of their mother's name, Hatsumya.

When he came back to the room, his sister had just fallen into deep sleep. He laid down everything and made a bed, the witch placed the child on the silk and covered her body with the wrapper.

Using one two fingers, she stroked the little girl's hair and pick a different happier tune to hum. No other sound came to interrupt the serenity of the moment. That was, at least until a thought crossed the witch's mind.

"Is your fight over then?" she whispered and his eyes went wide. He forgot.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ahhh!" Soul stretched his back after he jumped through the portal. "Alright now, let's do a name count" he said. Everyone lined up in front of him as he walked by.

"Maka"

"Here"

"BlackStar"

"Here"

"Tsubaki"

"Here"

"Finally," he teased her,

"Liz"

"Here"

"Kid"

"Present"

"Patty"

"Hahahahah!"

"Crona"

"Here"

"Cool guy… I am here" Soul said and nodded to himself once in agreement.

Liz rolled her eyes and Maka smiled.

"I'm kind a hungry" Crona said awkwardly and everybody's bellies growled.

"Heheheh, me too" Patty agreed, "let's all go over to the buffet! Com'on Crona!" she grasped his hand and marched him towards the dining area of their hotel.

Maka held on to the tail of Soul's jacket and walked behind him, BlackStar and Tsubaki were arguing already because he told her about the tracking device he plans to install onto her.

"If anything, YOU'RE the one that needs it, every time I have to chase after you!" she shirked when he lifted her and carried her on his shoulder, "we are not doing this again! Put me down BlackStar,"

"Are they really gonna fight within the same hour they reunited?" Lizzy asked out loud.

"They missed each other is all," Kid gave his arm for her hand to rest on after looping it through the gap. "Glad all of that is over with. Now, the real vacation begins" because he said that so lowly and dark, it sounded like a threat; Liz laughed while he guild her to join the others. When they arrived, Soul carried three overstuffed plates back to the table and ran back to the line to get one more food item. Maka sat with Tsubaki, both chatting about what happened while she was gone. BlackStar stood in line with Patty and Crona but kept one sharp eye on Tsubaki and another to the plate. Kid spotted a man in a white button down shirt and black pants in shiny black leather shoes carrying a tray of what looked like expensive campaign.

"Good sir! A drink here please" Kid called out using his rich boy voice and the man looked at him weird but otherwise walked by and offered a drink.

"Please don't get drunk tonight," Lizzy pleaded him,

"Just one glass will do me," he promised.

Everyone eventually got their food and beverage, joined the others at the table and sat, ate, shared laughs, told stories until they were all full. Soul patted his suddenly overgrown belly, "man… so full!" he groaned happily.

"I'll help you to your room," Maka raised his arm for him to place around her shoulder and helped him up. Together they stumbled towards the elevator. Tsubaki shrieked when BlackStar lifted her again and carried her up using the stairs. Crona wasn't ready to retire yet so he asked Patty if she would like to join him on a stroll around town or to the beach. "Okay!' was her excited reply and together they left.

Kid was at the register paying off the plates, "Mahalo, have a good night sir!"

"Thanks," he told the clerk and made his way back to get Liz. "I'll walk you to your room," he told her. She nodded her head and followed him to the elevator. Once they got to their floor, Tsubaki was demanding BlackStar to put down her luggage all the way to his room. Maka's giggling voice was coming from further down the hall from what Kid guessed to be Soul's room.

"Want to come inside and have some tea?" Liz offered, Kid nods his head and opened the door for her after she unlocked it. 'It's a mess in here,' he thought. Lizzy's face blushed, the condition of the 'girl's room' was embarrassing.

"Ermmm."

"Why don't you change out of those clothes and freshen up," he suggested, "I'll come back to get you, we can have tea in my room. Maybe a game of cards."

Lizzy liked his idea way better, "I'll be about twenty minutes" she told him. Kid lightly nudged his face against her cheek,

"I shall be back."

* * *

"Alright, you can sleep on the bed, I'll take the floor" BlackStar told her after he placed her things in the closet. Not bothering to mention that the door behind them was another bedroom that he could use.

"This is wrong!" Tsubaki said,

"We live together back home, what the hell is the difference?" He asked irritably,

"Well… Uh, it's just that…" She couldn't find a delicate way to put it, "We have our own bedrooms back home,"

"We have our own bedroom here," he said, "now in the showers with you, I can smell that kidnapper's scent on you and it irritates me."

Tsubaki finally gave up arguing and just decided to go along with it. She knew that he was just taking extra precautions now because he was really just worried about losing his partner again.

"Hey…Tsubaki" BlackStar turned around to face her, and that's when it hit Tsubaki. She missed it somehow these past few weeks, months even; that he'd grown a lot. There he stood close to eye level with her; arms, legs and abs are now longer, and because of all the intense training he's done, he's been rewarded with a build body. Even his face matured some. "It's great to have you back" he said and for a second, one corner of his lip twitched upward. A smile or a smirk, she really couldn't tell.

He didn't just grow physically, somewhere along the way the boy she'd always seen him to be was now suddenly becoming a man.

Tsubaki felt strange, deep in her belly there was a flutter that tickled her. "It's great to be back" she replied softly and entered the restroom.

* * *

"Are you serious? You're not pulling my leg are you?" Soul couldn't believe the how much he missed out on.

"Yup, and then Crona kept getting all these pretty local girls practically climbing him, and then Patty; She was so jealous" Maka laughed some more.

"Damn! How did Crona do it?" he wondered,

"Beats me," Maka's hand blindly reached over to find her glass of water but instead she knocked it towards herself. A large portion of it splashed on her white t-shirt.

'Breast….' He noticed, 'when in the hell did she grow those?!' bewildered, he stared directly at the light pink bra that was now visible underneath her shirt. Maka stood up, searching for a towel and Soul got an even better view when she turned to her side.

"Where are the rags?" she asked, he pointed to at the kitchen and she walked in that direction.

It's wasn't just her front that developed, her rear actually has a slight bump. In fact, her usually mid-thigh skirt looks more like a mini skirt with her legs being long and shapely. 'But this really isn't weird, she is growing after all… No matter what, she's still Maka…' he told himself.

He's yet to admit to her that he actually has deep feelings for her. Not that it was surprising to anyone, least of all himself. Getting off of the bed, he went through his things "Here, go change into this" when she walked back with the rag, he held out a black long-sleeve shirt that read "MERCI" in big white letters across the front. After she took it from his hand, she went into the bedroom while he went out to the patio. "I'm done!" she called out and he hesitated to go back inside. Dear Lord, but he was excited. The image in his head of seeing her wearing his shirt was surprisingly arousing. He groaned lowly when she called him to come in now.

"MERCI"

* * *

"Heheheh, did you see that seagull?" Patty pointed at the bird that just swallowed a whole fish.

She grinned when it made a squawking sound and Crona smiled along with her. 'So bright,' he thought. She really was everything he wasn't; and instead of feeling intimidated by her easygoingness, he admired her for it.

"Patty, look over there" he pointed at two albino doves sitting in a tree.

"Aww!" she gaad, "so cute!"

Crona matched his pace with her to move closer, "you'll need to be quiet if you don't want frighten them away," he whispered to her.

"Okay" she whispered back. They watched the birds nestled to get comfortable, then eventually they fell asleep on the tree branch.

"Their cuddling" Patty giggled,

"Birds style I guess" he agreed and smiled when she snickered, "let's back away now so they can sleep" he whispered and together they crept backwards.

Resuming to their walk, a group of thugs blocked their way to  
getting back in their hotel. "There's a fee for using my sidewalk" the one in front informed, he then held out his hand, expecting cash to land on it.

"I didn't bring any money," Patty announced to Crona,

"Me neither," he told her.

"Mister, do you mind if I call my caretaker to pay this fee?" she asked the head thug.

"Uh… Uhmm okay" he stood with his arms crossed now, waiting for them to make that phone call.

Patty pulled out a hot pink cellphone with a butterfly bedazzle design on the back. Clicking the speed-dial button, she awaited patiently for Kid to pick up.

"Hello, this is Death the Kid," he answered.

"Hi Kid!"

"Eh' hello Patty,"

"There's a bunch of guys here and they want us to pay a sidewalk fee!" she told him.

"Patty, there's no such thing as a sidewalk fee. They were built for the community to use freely."

"Oh… Okay, I'll tell them you said no!" with that she hung up the phone.

* * *

"Patty wait!" Kid shouted on the phone, "damn it, she can't fight with me or her sister," he looked at the mini clock on his bedside table, "I've got twelve minutes until it's time to get Liz." He noted before he went out to the balcony and skateboarded in the air towards the direction of Patty's soul wavelength.

It didn't take long to find them, mostly because of how loud the thugs were demanding their fee to be paid. But, instead of diving in there to help, Kid sensed Crona's wavelength moving dramatically in the air. The look on his face indicated that Crona was beginning to lose patience.

* * *

Tired of always getting picked, he moved Patty to stand behind him.

"What the hell are you looking at me like that for?" the biggest one of them asked, Crona remained silent. "You better quit looking at me like that" the man warned. Crona narrowed his eye some more. Getting a bit angrier and angrier by the second, the big thug reached out to grab the front of Crona's shirt but Crona brushed his big hand away easily. "You little,"

He reached over a second time and Crona quickly snatch his wrist and squeeze. "Leave me alone" he said darkly to the man howling in pain.

"You brat!" the gang went after them but all were thrown back by the force of his wavelength. He finally released the man's wrist and was about to move forward until Patty started giggling,

"What's so funny?" he wondered. Patty shook her head, grasp his hand into her's and marched him to the hotel.

"You mention that you were sharing a room with Blackstar right?" she asked,

"Yes"

"Sissy is probably worried by now, so we should call this a night, mkay?"

"Okay"

When they made it up there, they found Crona's luggage outside the front door with a note that reads, 'Tsubaki is in here, find another roommate. –B'

"Ummmm…. Wells then" Patty said and Crona tilt his head sideways, looking like a confused puppy.


	8. Chapter 8

"You're back a lot earlier than I thought you'd take" Lizzy's towel wrapped head poked out of the girl's room.

"Yeah, I didn't want to worry you by taking too long" Patty told her sister.

"Baby sister" Lizzy's eyes suddenly became huge and teary,

"Hey sissy, BlackStar kicked Crona out. Can he have Tsubaki's old room?"

"Uh, well" she looked at Crona's form and nearly laughed out loud at herself. It's just Crona for betes' sake. "Sure, come'on in!" she waved him over with a kind smile.

Patty snatched his hand after he gingerly picked up his luggage and allowed himself to be dragged again. Lizzy opened the door wider and moved aside so her sister and Crona could walk in without pumping to each other. Especially with Patty's dangerous speed.

"Movie time!" Patty exclaimed happily,

"Ermm, actually Patty. I'm going out for a while" Lizzy gave her sister an apologetic look,

"Oh, well that's okay, maybe Crona will watch with me"

Both sisters then stared at the only boy within their mists, he looked down to hide away the blush and merely nods his head.

"Great! That's settled then!" Patty turned back to her sister and finally noticed she was still in her bathrobes. "Oh I get it" she snickered wickedly behind the back of her palm.

"Missy, you better tell me what weird things you meant by that" Lizzy half threatened and half joked.

"Oh nothing, nothing…. It's just that, I think a simple black skirt and a blouse will do for tonight's occasion."

"And what is tonight's occasion?"

"Your date of course" Patty answered bluntly,

Lizzy's jaw clenched, "This isn't…. It's not that, well…" lost in her sudden thoughts about that possibility. She began to wonder if the situation would count as a date.

Patty and Crona were eventually engrossed in their conversation when Liz took too long to answer.

"Oh, I see" Crona said, he then turned to Liz. "When did Kid say he'll come get you?" he asked her enthusiastically.

Liz looked at the clock and freaked, "Less than three minutes, guys keep him busy." She ran passed Patty, who handed her older sister a silky off-white blouse and a black skirt that is usually too short for Lizzy's taste but accepted anyway along with a pair of half-inch heels that she'd never seen before. As a matter fact, none of the clothes that Patty handed her were even her's to begin with, although they do seem to be in her size. She looked over her shoulder to lift an eyebrow at her sister then shook her head and dashed into the restroom to blow-dry her hair and change out of the rope.

While the older Thompson girl was readying herself, Patty placed a DVD disk in the player and sat next to Crona on the floor with the many pillows surrounding them.

The first infomercial came on the screen about the same time a faint knock came from the door. "Coming!" Patty jumped up and skipped to the door, "Hi Kid!" she beamed.

"Good evening Patty" he greeted her politely.

"Lizzy is still getting ready" she told him honestly and Kid, though he didn't roll his eyes, he did look heavenward.

"So she is" he said, wondering why all women usually takes so long.

A door at the far end opened and Lizzy stepped out, walking towards the two. Kid's mouth hung half open at the sight.

Lizzy had made huge curls at the end of her hair and then she applied gloss over her lips. Kid's eyes roamed down a bit and caught a tiny bit of her lacy red bra and a small delicate looking mole on the inner side of one breast. He'd like to know if the mole was real or if it was just a black dot that she purposely put there. Then he noticed the soft silky blouse that seemed to move with her like second skin. Gulping, his eyes dared to venture further down to the pitch black skirt, then her nicely structured legs, and eventually her small pumped heels and painted toenails.

Patty, backed away slowly and turned around. "Have fun!" she told them cheekily and skipped back to Crona.

"Umm yes" Kid's usual posture returned. Standing straight, he offered Lizzy his arm but took that brief moment to glance at Crona. Trusting the purple-pink haired boy to protect his precious Patty whom also became like a baby sister to him. Kid acknowledges his strength and decided that he would approve of their relationship should they form one.

"We'll be in my room should you need us" Kid told them,

Patty and Crona said okay and encouraged them to take their time. Kid grinned at the implication and Lizzy's face turned in a deep shade of red. When they finally left, Patty turned to Crona and apologized for taking so long.

He shrugged his shoulder "It's still showing commercials."

"Anyways, want some popcorn?" she offered a freshly heated batch in a huge bowl that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"How do you keep doing that?!"

* * *

Kid opened the door for Liz and followed in after her. He directed her to the room where he'd set up two empty cups with a kettle resting on a mat in front of an antic but finely looking lamp.

Lizzy toyed with her fingers, still feeling bothered on whether or not this was considered a date. Kid thought she was nervous about being alone with him so he gently took hold of her hands and smiled encouragingly at her.

Lizzy stared at his face, taking in on familiar features and beginning to wonder why it seemed different somehow. He has always been kind, weird, but still nice. She felt as though she owed him so much, for taking them away from the life that caused nothing but pain. He replaced their boxes with beds, their stolen meals into given ones, and bitter coldness with warmth. However the smile on his doesn't show signs of that Kid who took them in. This is a different kind of smile.

"Is this a date?" she blurted out without thinking.

Kid was taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere. Well, at least now he knows why she was acting so nervous.

"Sorry, but this is not a date" Kid told her honestly.

"Oh, well…." Lizzy was embarrassed and hugely disappointed.

"If this was a date, it would contain much more than just drinking tea. No, this is merely an advancement in our courtship"

He leaned his shoulder against the wall and watched her face. The way she pouts is damning his control to remain casual and polite.

Then she had to do the other damning thing by moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue.

"Well, tea is ready" he said and hurried to pour them their beverage.

He didn't realize that the warmth was nearly gone when he filled her cup and handed it to her.

Not wanting to be rude about the cold tea, she didn't say anything and endured it. Meanwhile, Kid took a sip at his and spit it back out. "Cold!" he yelled in shock. He turned to Liz, noting that her cup was already halfway empty. The look he then gave her was amusing and apologetic. "You should've told me," he said as he reached for her cup.

Another blush splashed across her cheeks when she heard him laugh softly. He collected the dishes and went to the kitchen to restart the kettle.

"Do you need any help?" the top half if her body appeared from the doorway; and because she was leaning forward when he turned his head to look at her, her bosoms was practically there and he was able to see that the tiny mole on her breast was indeed real. 'Damn it!' his mind exploded, 'for the holy being to put 'THAT' right there so a man can't miss it!' Blood was pulsing throughout his body, he then turned the water on the sink to cold, grab ahold of both cups, fills them to the rim and dumbed freezing water on his head so it could slide down to the rest of his body to cool down.

"What are you doing?!" Lizzy charged into the kitchen and snatched the cups away and turned off the water. "Oh, look at you!" she said and snag a hold of his wrist. She brought him back to the living room and didn't know where to go from there.

"My ahh… My bedroom in that door straight ahead" he helped.

She marched him into the room and went through the closet and drawers until she found the right things for him to change into. She handed him his clothes and just stood there with her arms crossed, waiting for him to apparently change right there. A wicked smile spread across his face while he waited for her to get the hint. Which, she didn't and instead she just gazed at him confusedly.

"Woman if I'm going to be undressing with you in here, I promise that I won't be the only one." That seemed to have worked because she gaped loudly and her eyes grew wide. Then she retreated quickly to the crying kettle. Looking down, Kid saw the evidence that would have accompanied willingly to his threat and walked into his personal bathroom when a realization struck. 'I've been taking a lot of cold showers lately.'

Liz was in the kitchen when she heard the water run from his bedroom.

She was about to take the kettle and cups with her until she caught something shine with the light. Leaving the things behind, she crept over to the mini table standing beside the entertainment center. On the table there was a picture of an attractive woman who had lovely pale complexion, her smile was gentle and pure. Her hair and eyes were as black as coal, but on the right side of her hair, three white streaks were a-lined. Although they were like Kid's, they were also different. Kid's streaks are horizontal while the lady in the picture had her streks in vertical.

There was also a delicate looking ring beside the picture, the shine that originally caught her attention.

Gently she lifted the ring like it was made out of fragile glass and astonished at how beautiful it was. The wrapping part of the ring was made out of white gold, in the center was a diamond stud in the shape of an evening star. Beside the main diamond, little flakes around it acted like stardust. It was classy looking, and well designed.

"It used to belong to my mother" Kid's voice emerged from the doorway.

Startled, she gingerly puts the ring back and turned herself around. Kid was leaning on his shoulder again. The ends of his hair still drips from his quick rinse. His white button-down shirt was half tugged into his long black jeans, his entire posture indicated lazy sensuality.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude" she looked down.

"I would've told you about her had you just asked" he said lightly. And then it occurred to Liz, Kid knows nearly everything about her and her sister because she trusted him with all of her secrets. He always did listen, and was genuine about everything but not once had she encouraged him to talk about himself. Then she remembered why didn't think he had any problems, back then she had been very judgmental. She assumed that the rich had everything, but now that she thinks about it. Kid lives in that huge house alone without his parents, and she's never even met his mother. She'd blinded herself in believing that the rich wouldn't know what it's like to feel pain and loneliness.

If she remembers correctly, way before Maka and the others came around when they started attending the academy, he might have said something about her and her sister being his only companions.

Kid's hand touched her face, startling her again. He noticed the reaction but ignored it because the sad look on her face was more important to see to.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly, the familiar question he always did ask when something bothered her.

Lizzy forced a smile and shook her head, "secret" she said and hummed her way to the kitchen only to discover that once again the tea needs a little heating. She was about to switch it on when Kid grabbed her shoulder and forced her against the wall.

His face got dangerously close to her's, "this is your fault" he said. "Quit looking like that, otherwise my water bill will increase."

She was about to demand why the hell he was acting like that, but the heated look in his eyes made her bite her bottom lip instead. His eyes openly glanced down to her lips. Both of his arms lifted to touch the wall while she remains trapped in the middle of them and his unfaltering attention.

"Damn you" he breathe out as lean closer, "I'm trying to be good."

Lizzy's heart did a jumpstart and beat at an impossible pace when Kid turned his head and touched the base of her neck with his mouth. She shivered when he slowly fathered kisses along her throat and shoulder.

"Your fault" he whispered. "I might be honor bound, but I'm still only a man."

"No," she whimpered, "You are Death the Kid" she reminded him, "and your job as the reaper's son is to either collect lost souls or guild them in the rightly path."

He chuckled at her feeble attempt, the feel of his warm breath on the side of her neck caused her insides to anticipate with excitement.

"I must be a different sort of reaper then, especially for this particular soul" one of his hands reached to the light switch, "because the places I plan to lead you to requires utter darkness" the lights flicked off, and all talking ceased.


	9. Chapter 9

TUK TUK TUK TUK TUK TUK! Fast fists were knocking on the other side of Kid's door.

"Hey Kid, open up!" Soul's voice drifted from the other side. Kid and Liz broke out of the heated spell, when Kid flicked back on the kitchen light, he looked directly at Lizzy's flushed face and swollen lips from his kisses. His gaze momentarily glance down and- 'Damn Damn Damn Damn!' Kid frowned at the open blouse and her partially revealed breasts. He didn't mean for things to get as hasty as it did, had Soul not interrupted, he knew he would've taken her right there.

Liz flushed some more and with shaky hands, buttoned up her blouse and turned away from Kid out of embarrassment.

"Kid com'on!" Soul persisted.

"I'll be in the other room" she whispered, not wanting to be seen with the way she looked right now.

Kid nodded and waited till she closed the door behind her before he let Soul in.

"What is it?" he asked nonchalantly,

Soul's face narrowed when he observed Kid's clothing and his somewhat odd breathing.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked moodily.

"You interrupted nothing important, Liz and I were just going to have some tea and play a game of cards" he replied boringly, Soul wasn't convinced but he wasn't one to pry because that wouldn't be cool.

"Is she still here?" he asked below normal speaking.

Kid looked at him confusedly but nodded. "I indicated as much" he said.

"Well damn" Soul swept an impatient hand through his hair. "I needed some advice about something but I'd rather not ask with ermm… you know" he looked at the door that he correctly guessed for Liz to be in.

"A step outside?" Kid suggested, taking in on Soul's defensive stance.

"This shouldn't take long" he promised and they both left the room. Lizzy peeked out of the other room and walked to the door that the boys exited through. She planned on telling Kid that she was leaving for the night but Soul's words stopped her on her tracks.

"I almost did it!" Soul said in a rasping voice.

Kid wasn't sure about what Soul was trying to say. Nonetheless, he stood in stone silence for his friend to continue explaining.

"She was… and if the creep hadn't called when he did… I could've… we…." Soul paced in front of him, trying to just let everything out but having troubles with finishing a normal sentence.

"What did you almost do?" he finally asked when Soul just rambled on.

"IT!" he exasperated, "I've almost committed the deed and- well… we"

Kid now understood, his hand lifted to hold Soul on his shoulder "well it's a good thing you didn't, you've nearly made the biggest mistake of your life," he said, and Liz who was listening was offended by his words.

"That's the problem! I wanted to make that mistake!" Soul sulked.

"Well don't, everything is a case of mind over matter. Use your willpower to go through it until the time is right"

"Half an hour ago, my willpower flew out the window! I need a damn drink now so I can stop thinking about it!"

"Didn't you promise Maka that you quit"

"Give me a break, she's the one that's making it difficult for me to leave that bottle alone! I feel stressed when I'm with her" Soul didn't mean it the way it came out. He'd just realized how deep his feelings are for her and on top of that, how attracted he became of her. Earlier when they were in his room, his awareness of her increased. Her every movement was like an enticement, her voice like music nothing like the ones his piano skills can produce. Her kind and passionate soul was especially the most appealing. He wants her in every way possible, but his control to keep a reasonable distance is close to a breaking point.

However that's not how Maka took it as she stood several yards behind him. Earlier she was with him, they were laughing until her dad called *again* and she stepped out to talk to him. She and her dad aren't close yet but their relationship are starting to improve. Having to finally hang up the phone, she planned to come back to Soul and when she spotted him with Kid at the hall, she caught what he said and stood in disbelief at his painful words.

Kid became aware of her presence and tried to shut Soul from saying anymore but he kept rambling on and on.

"I mean, what am I supposed to do?!" Soul continued, "I can't help it when she-"

"She's behind you" Kid hissed furiously at him. Soul's face became pale as he wiped his head around and see for himself that Maka was indeed behind him. From where he stood, he could just about make out her body trembling with hurt. Within seconds, she ran through an exit door and down the stairs.

"Maka!" he cried out and ran after her "Damn it, wait!"

Kid stood there alone, feeling really awkward and uncertain until the door to his room opened and Liz stepped out. She seemed just as grief stricken as Maka was.

"Is everything alright?" he inquired while reaching out a hand to her. She looked at his extended hand and brushed it away.

"Everything's great" she replied coldly and storms off to the girl's room.

"Hey, Lizzy what's wrong?" Kid kept closely behind her.

"Nothing's wrong" she said in mock polite, "just glad to know that you didn't make the worst mistake of your life"

Kid felt a chill down his back as he thought about what she'd just said. 'did I say that?' he tried to replay the whole conversation in his mind but could only draw out blurs.

Liz waited for him to deny it, when he didn't her eyes tears up as she jerks open the door and slams it shut once inside. Kid wince at the sound and hesitated to knock.

"Both of you are idiots" BlackStar said from his room, which is a door over, behind him. When Kid looked at him, BlackStar stood with the door half open while he leaned on the frame. "Maka and Liz heard everything because you both talked out in the open and didn't bother to whisper a single word" he actually scolded him, "If I was either of them, I'd have none of you. Also, the blame for not having control has nothing to do with the girl. So, to say that he nearly made the worst mistake of his life is hilarious, because quite frankly it wouldn't be his mistake. No, it would've been Maka's"

Kid felt the sting for Soul, whom at this moment just sneezed in the middle of chasing.

Tsubaki in her long gown sat with her legs tugged under her on the king-sized bed, watching worriedly at the back of BlackStar. The entire time that they sat there listening to what Soul confessed and Kid's replies, BlackStar clenched his fists and jumped up, swung open the door and that's when they saw Soul run past their room to go after Maka, then moments later Liz was walking away from Kid.

"BlackStar" Tsubaki's soft voice called to him, he stared angrily at Kid a moment longer then closed the door.

Kid walked back to his room, his minds full of thoughts.

* * *

The next morning, Maka and Liz sat across from each other. They seemed to have formed an alliance because when Soul and Kid took the seat next to them, they both stood in unison and moved to a different table across the dining area. The boys sulked, Tsubaki looked worriedly between the pairs, and BlackStar proceeded to eat his breakfast, choosing to be oblivious of the scene.

"Sissy!" Patty tackled her older sister, "how come you guys are eating here?"

"We are having a private talk" Liz half lied,

"Ohh…" Patty looked at the empty chair next to her sister, then at the empty chair beside Crona whom was at the other table, looking at her with high hopes.

Liz noticed the exchange and took pity on her sister. "Why don't you join the others Patty? We'll be there shortly after our talk"

Patty perked up and ran the other way, making her sister a bit jealous for being abandon.

"They seem really close" Maka watched as Crona beamed up at Patty when she flops down at the seat beside him, "Even BlackStar and Tsubaki are managing each other's company pretty well."

"Tsubaki has an accepting soul, which accompanies well with BlackStar annoying traits," Liz shrugged, "as for Crona and my sister, one who's socially awkward and then a social butterfly. Dark and Bright. Well, they sort of complete each other."

"It must be nice, to honestly enjoy one another. Not like Soul and I. I mean, we always fight, and sometimes he gets on my nerves. Last year, he said I wasn't his type because I had a really flat chest" Maka confided through her tears, remembering well the many times she had been insulted for lacking so much.

"That's despicable!" Liz truly hadn't realized the kind of person Soul was. Now she won't be able to stand the sight of him.

Meanwhile, Kid and Soul are trying to think of ways to apologize and somehow explain the horrible misunderstanding.

"Hey ladies" two handsome tourists approached Maka and Liz. "Now why is it that these two pretty doves are not smiling Jon?" the blonde haired one asked his dark haired friend. They both had golden tans and lean build, clearly active in sports.

"No clue, we should fix this, aye?" the one called Jon boldly wiped away the tears on Maka's face and winked at her. When her face colored with blushes, Soul snapped his metal fork in halves.

"My names Francis" the golden haired one took Lizzy's hand into his and kissed her inner wrist. "What could yours be, my heart?"

Kid's reaper powers circulated the room, making the other guests shiver with fright because of how dark and overwhelming it felt. Especially the one named Francis for he felt a deathly chill slithering down his spine, and when his gaze accidently locked eye contacts with Kid, he knew that he was staring at death himself.

"Ummm, say why don't we… go cursing around the beach" Jon asked through clatter teeth, trying to pass it off as a smile.

Maka considered this, ignoring Soul and Kid's glare from the other table. She smiled, "You know, we've never been on a date before" she confided to the boys.

They beamed in victor as each pulled out the girl's chairs and walked out with a partner latched to their sides.

Soul and Kid charged after the group while BlackStar continued to enjoy his food, talking about himself and how great the food was. "This is practically food for the gods!" he praised and went on saying about how it suits him well.

"BlackStar…. Uhh" Tsubaki glanced worriedly at Maka and Liz, then Soul and Kid. Trouble is bound to happen and she just wanted everyone to stop fighting and get back to the way things were,

"You know, we can't do much for them" BlackStar said, looking at her seriously, "let them figure this out" Tsubaki's shoulders dropped and he gave a reassuring smile because she seemed doubtful and frustrated.

"I wish sis could just tell me what happened" Patty sighed, Crona's spirits perked up some more as Patty as becoming more and more comfortable in letting out her true thoughts. That was until she noticed a flier about a dolphin show going on at the zoo later in the afternoon. "Ohhhhh! Let's go to it!"

Crona placed his elbow on the table and held out his hand in Patty's direction, patiently waiting to be dragged out. Patty on cue, grab ahold of his hand and quickly ran out with Crona happily tagging along.

Tsubaki giggled at the sight and BlackStar grinned. Neither had actually realized how far Patty and Crona were advancing towards being close friends until this morning when they walked by Crona at the hallways, asking him why he was standing there alone. He explained that the girls were changing but he was actually waiting on Patty so they could walk down together.

Tsubaki noticed that Crona was talking without shaking too much, and that he was starting to wear normal clothes like jeans and shirts although they were still black.

*back to present*

"Wanna go watch the show?" BlackStar asked Tsubaki.

"Eh? I thought you wanted to visit the local dojo?"

"Well I changed my mind, even someone as godly as I would takes breaks every now and then, and besides" he lifted her hand as he stood, "that's why we're on this vacation, right?" he gave his usual cocky grin and she sighed with pleasure.

"I'd like to see the dolphins and the other animals" she got off of her seat, still holding hands with him as they seek out Crona and Patty to join them.


	10. Chapter 10

Jon was just about to sit down but Soul casually walked by and snatched his chair.

"Ow!" Jon yelped when his bum hit the hard titled floor. "Where's my chair?!" he yelled annoyingly as he glances all around him. Soul was already sitting on it, facing the other way with his hands behind his head, whistling.

Francis was coming back with two ice-cream cones when suddenly they both melted with incredible and impossible speed, even for the tropical weather. Kid stood back, watching both vanilla and chocolate drip to the floor while Francis asked someone what the temperature is right now.

"Everything alright?" Liz asked Francis when he just stood there very confused. He gave a nervous laugh.

"Hehehe everything's fine. It's just that the more I approach you the faster they melted, damn you're hot!" he grinned at his own quick compliment to win her over.

Liz smiled but truly she was disappointed, she really wanted that ice-cream.

Maka gave Jon a hand in getting up, but as soon as he was on his two feet, someone kicked him in the back of his knee which caused his legs to bend forward and down again to the floor.

Maka turned around, looking at him worriedly until he too made a nervous laugh. "I kneel to your beauty" he announced unashamed. Soul and Kid were both getting aggravated.

As the day progress, unexplainable tragedies keeps happening to the two handsome tourists whenever they get overly friendly to the girls. At a quarter past one, the girls picked an all-you-can-eat buffet for lunch.

"I am starving!" Liz stretched her arms over her head, not realizing the reaction she was causing from both Francis and Kid who just entered the restaurant.

"Me to" Maka agreed as she allowed Jon to pull out her chair then he pushed her chair forward so she may sit. She also watched him keep a firm hand on his chair while continuously looking around himself as if expecting something to happen. When he finally sat down and turned his attention back to Maka, she gave him an awkward sweet smile that he mistook for admiration and cast an arm around her shoulders. Soul to frown from his place beside the front counter. Deciding that he's had enough, he boldly marched to their table and sat down at the other side if Maka and knocked Jon's hands away. Kid follow suit by taking the open chair on the other side of Liz.

Jon and Francis frowned disapprovingly at them while the girls pretended that nothing unusual had just taken place.

"Aloha!" a young waitress greeted, "Would you like to order from our menu or eat at the buffet?" she asked.

"We're all taking the buffet, four separate checks please." Kid said politely.

"Include this one's bill in my check," Soul told the waitress while his arm snacked around Maka's shoulder possessively, she shrugged it away.

"Hey!" Jon stood up, furious at the intruder.

"Hello" Soul simply said.

"Her bill in with me if you please," Kid kindly ordered her but the waitress tensed when Kid smiled in a way that made her experience unusual fear towards a customer.

"Ri-right away sir," she then asked for their beverages then walks off stiffly.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Francis demanded,

"Why, how rude of me. The names Death" Kid said charmingly, though the aura in the air suddenly became cold and dangerous.

Francis's mind automatically pictured a dark foggy graveyard with the skies bloodshot red and crows squawking evilly. He shivered.

"Soul Eater" Soul said and bared his pointy shark-like teeth, "Nice to eat you, I mean meet you"

Jon felt a slight tremor run over his body but he ignored it. This was clearly a challenge and there was no way he'd allow himself to be intimidated.

"Can we eat now?" Liz asked irritably.

"Of course," Kid got up again and waited for Liz to move ahead of him. Francis trailed after Liz but kept a good space between himself and Death the Kid.

"Maka" Soul said but she stood straight up and ignored him. Jon smirked.

When they came back, Soul carried a total of four large plates containing nearly everything and a small dish for his desert. Maka held a medium plate with anything but seafood in it. Jon had a bowl of salad, Liz and Kid basically had the same things of some meat, potatoes, green vegies, except Kid added extra meat. Francis's had stir fry rice, white rice, and long noodle rice.

"Is that all you're gonna eat?" Soul eyed out Jon's salad.

"You got a problem?" Jon raised a competitive brow. "I take care of myself, I am a grown man."

Soul snickered at the remark, and when a different waitress inquired for anything more, Soul asked for her to give Jon a bag of nuts. "You see, he seems to have lost his" he explained and Maka giggled softly.

"Um, would you like some meet with that?" Kid asked Francis.

"No, I like rice" he said proudly,

"Clearly" Kid agreed, bothered at the fact that he's the one who's skinny when his appetite should suggest otherwise. Pushing the thought aside, Kid then asked them what they do for living.

"We live for a living!" Francis said, trying to use deep words to impress Liz.

"So do most people but what are your jobs?" Kid asked, wondering if he had been clear enough.

"Our job's motto is to have fun," Jon pitched in, winking at Maka for an extra implication.

Soul and Kid nearly slammed their heads at the table. 'Their idiots' they both thought in unison.

Liz, now honestly curious rephrased Kid's question. "What sort of work do you do?"

"We travel the world and do all sorts of sports, like bike riding, sky diving, surfing" Jon said.

"So in other words, you're both rich and basically do whatever you want while mommy and daddy pays it all" Soul concluded.

"I think what you do sounds great!" Maka defended for them, "It must be nice to simply go out and have fun, I wish that I could live like that." She said dreamily, imagining herself doing whatever she wanted, which was reading quietly back home on the couch.

Soul snickered, already knowing the image in her head.

"Then what's your job, if you have any" Jon sneered at them.

"We do investigative work and clean off the streets from…. Bad guys," Soul summarized.

"Kind of like law enforcers," Kid said thoughtfully.

"Right" Francis laughed, "Good one"

"You think I jest, well Elizabeth here happens to be my personal assistance."

Francis looked at her and she meekly nodded.

"Maka and I are partners," Soul said, suggesting more than one meaning as his arm snake around her shoulders again.

A phone sounded off, "excuse me, that's probably my dad" Maka stood up and walked outside.

"Speaking of which, does your parents ever gets worried?" Kid wondered.

"We moved out of our parents' house at soon as we turned seventeen" Francis said smugly, "that's a year before the legal adulthood age."

"I moved out after six summers," Kid casually informed.

Jon and Francis twisted their faces, Liz looked down to hide the pain in her eyes.

"I don't have any parents that I can say I moved out of" she said softly.

Kid instantly felt like a cad for forgetting all about Lizzy's painful past.

He touched her shoulder while at the same time, Francis touched her other shoulder. "Please forgive me,I was thoughtless." They both said then glared at each other.

Liz, startled by the double physical contact and apology was embarrassed "Don't mind me" she said after accepting their apologies.

"Okay, alright papa" Maka walked back in and out of habit stood behind Soul, "alright alright, I'll do it right now." She clicked the phone off and turned to Soul, momentarily forgetting that she was mad at him, "he wants another picture, except with the mountain in the back of me" Soul nodded, stood and followed her out the door. Jon matched his strides on their way out.

"Lizzy babe, there's a dolphin show going on in a couple of hours at the zoo. Wanna see it?" Francis was trying to win back her attention because Kid was trying to keep it all to himself.

"Before that, I need to talk to you Elizabeth" Kid said, using her first name to indicate the level of seriousness.

Liz ignored Kid and grabbed ahold of Francis's hand, "We'll meet you guys there" she called over her shoulder, acting much like her sister by dragging along Francis.

Kid sighed irritably, "that's it"

* * *

"Tsubaki look!" Patty pointed at the monkeys, laughed and clapped her hands.

Tsubaki was sharing a pink cotton candy with BlackStar when Patty hollered for her, "Aww, look those two seems like lovers" she said when a male monkey kissed a female on the cheek.

BlackStar wasn't paying attention though, he was too busy having a stare down with a huge gorilla that was making growling noises at him. "I'll show you" BlackStar said and walked off, Tsubaki still absorbed by the sight of the monkeys making kissy faces at one another to notice.

Crona was just walking back from the drink stands with a bottle of juice that he intended to give to Patty until Leilani, the good witch bumped into him. "Oh excuse me, I-" she stopped. "Crona!" she squealed and gave him a big hug.

A familiar crowd of attractive Hawaiian females surrounded him, fighting to get their hugs.

"I've missed you honey!"

"Quit hiding from us"

"Sit next to me during the show!"

"No, he'll be with me"

"No, me!"

On away was Crona in the mist of females without a say, Patty had just realized that he hasn't come back yet.

"Tsubaki, have you seen Crona?"

"Umm, sorry I was looking for BlackStar"

"Hey you! Get out of there!" Someone yelled and Tsubaki sighed in half relief and half worry. "I'd better get him" she scratched the back of her head as she bows formally and moves towards the direction of people yelling.

Tsubaki found him on the other side of the gorilla's cage, both circling each other challengingly. "BlackStar!" she yelled, horrified not for him but for the poor animal.

"Tsubaki?" a voice that sounded like Masuda from the Nakamura clan came from behind her. When she turned to face him, he was holding his little sister Mya on his shoulder as she sits prettily. She recognized Tsubaki and reached out her arms.

"Baki! Tsubaki!" she corrected herself.

Tsubaki walks towards them with a smile, "hello angel" she reached out and Masuda handed to her his kid sister.

"What the hell are you doing here" BlackStar demanded, already finished with the gorilla and now standing directly in-between Tsubaki and Masuda. Masuda laughed and BlackStar scowled dangerously at him, readying himself for another fight.

"BlackStar, please" Tsubaki begged, recognizing the stance.

"Lani said we could com' an see her show" Mya informed cheerfully.

"Lani?"

"Leilani" Masuda said with an obvious affection, "she invited us and since Mya seemed attached to her, I didn't have the heart to refuse."

"Didn't realize you had any after kidnapping Tsubaki"

"That's all in the past, I'm a changed man now."

"It was just yesterday that I got her back!" BlackStar's nostrils seems to flare, Masuda coughed diligently.

"The show is about to start!" he said distractedly, "come Mya"

Tsubaki let the girl down and watched her run to her brother's side. BlackStar gripped Tsubaki's hand and followed them, wanting to keep a close eye on Masuda incase he does something stupid.

"Crona!" Patty called out as she walked through the place, "We're going to miss the show! Don't you want to see the dolphins?"

"Patty?"

"Hey sissy!" Patty dashed towards her, not noticing the honey blonde stranger beside her. "Umm" she looked around, "Where's Kid?" she asked.

"He's with Soul and Maka" Liz said unflappably.

"That's weird, he's been saying that he wanted to clear up some misunderstanding but oh wells!" Patty skipped away to continue her search. "Crona!"

Lizzy remained where she was, 'misunderstanding? What does she mean?' she then remembered that before she left the restaurant, Kid did say he wanted to have a word with her. 'Could that be, what he wanted to talk about?' she wondered, feeling horrible for not giving him the chance to explain.

"There you are!" Maka called out, Jon and Soul marching right behind her, still glaring at one another.

"Hi" Lizzy said and looked around, "Where's Kid?" she asked.

"Don't know, we thought he left with you guys." Soul tore his attention from the 'pest' to looked around, Liz was now feeling much worst. Her eyes were nearing to tears as she silently prayed that he hadn't actually left but that he's probably in his room.


	11. Chapter 11

Patty had finally located Crona in the crowds with many other girls from before. She turned and walked away sadly.

Soul tried and tried again to get Maka to talk to him, she purposely focused her attention on Jon.

Tsubaki is trying to watch the show, but BlackStar keeps making growling sounds whenever Masuda says something (and it doesn't matter to who)

Lizzy excused herself from the show, saying that she wasn't feeling too well. "I'll walk you back" Francis offered.

"Oh, no please. Don't miss this on my account, I need to find my sister anyway" before Francis could protest, she moved through the crowds quickly guessed her way around until she found the exit where she found her sister.

"Patty?"

"Hi sissy" she replied sulkily.

"What's wrong hon?"

"I think the sun is getting to me" she forced a smile and managed to giggle.

"I'm about to head back, would you like to join me?"

Patty thought about it. She knew that she ought to clear her head, but leaving Crona with those girls might…. It might. "Lord Death!" she exclaimed, appalled by the thought.

Liz stared at her blankly, "excuse me?"

Patty turned to her sister slowly, "I think I fell in love with Crona" she admitted, her expression showing more of how awestricken she felt.

"Yeah I…. I sort of figured that" Liz grinned at her sister ironically.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Uhmm, I don't think that's how it works," she gave her sister a funny look.

"And all those girls are all over him!" Patty remembered, furious at the sight in her mind.

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"Get him back" Patty added a nod and determinedly marched back to the show area. "Oh! Say hi to Kid for me!" she yelled back, reminding Lizzy that she had a shinigami to hunt down. Feeling pumped thanks to her sister's energy, she jogged all the way back to the hotel.

* * *

In the middle of the show, Crona tried again to sneak away from the girls.

"Nah huh huh" One of them chirped, "you're not running away this time"

"But I really need to find someone before she gets mad" he pried himself from her grip.

"You mean that girl from before? What is she anyway, your girlfriend?" the girl behind him asked with a pout.

"Well, no"

"Then why bother?"

"I… I don't know" Crona sat still, thinking this over while everyone was watching Leilani and other staff members swim with the trained dolphins. Audiences clapped every time they jumped through hoops, play fetch, dance (ish) and all sorts of other tricks.

"Crona!" Patty sprinted through all the girls and hugged him, "I looked for you, you know!" she screamed over the cheering noise that suddenly erupted.

"Sorry" his eyes got big with sorrow. She laughed.

"Well what did I miss?"

"Excuse you, we're trying to watch the show and there are no available seats for you" one of the girls said angrily.

"Can I sit on your lap then? You don't mind, do you?" she asked him bluntly.

Crona's face blushed deeply before an awkward smile spread across his face. "If you want" was his shy reply.

The girls gave Patty a mean look throughout the rest of the show while she and Crona were honestly enjoying the show now that they were watching it together.

* * *

Soul sat alone in front of the Lion's display on the bench, annoyed as hell and warned-out with the constant brawling with Maka and Jon. The female lion watched him, he watched her too and smiled at a thought that came to mind. Because when he really think about it, Maka is just like the lion. She has a brave front, she moves swiftly when she feels like it, and most important she is a master at heart. Overprotective to a fault, but kind whatsoever.

He likes her. No, he loves her. He'd always loved her, that's way he played a piece for her that first time. Even back then he wanted her to accept him, and she did. Despite her distrust in men, she trusted him wholeheartedly. He'd taken that for granted, but not anymore. Today things will go right.

He stood and then decided on the few plans he'd just came up with. He grinned at the best one, "Just you wait Maka" and left the zoo.

* * *

Kid didn't answer the door when she knocked, but when she turned the knob it opened.

She walked inside and flicked on all the lights, still no sign of him. All night she sat on the chair in the corner. After a while she tried to watch television but simply wasn't in the mood. After which she picked up one of the books found on the shelves and forced herself to read. At half past three in the morning, she came awake and found herself on his bed with the blanket over her.

"Kid?" she quickly got off and looked around, flicking on every lights as she goes. Nothing. He'd left again.

The next morning she came down before everyone for breakfast, hoping that she might spot him. Everyone arrived except Kid and Soul. Maka kept gazing at the grand piano through the doors in the lobby. She couldn't help but having the strangest feeling that she'd heard it being played sometime during the night while she was on the verge of falling asleep.

Tsubaki suggested that they all visited the beach and that was decided. After breakfast everyone unhurriedly packed extra clothes and towels and switched out into bathing suits.

A knock sound on the door, Patty answered it was greeted Tsubaki.

"Hello, where's Maka?" she asked, looking over the little Thompson.

Maka stood behind the changing screen, poked her head out so Tsubaki could see her.

"Put this robe on and come with me please" Tsubaki asked sweetly. Maka nodded and accepted the robe and followed Tsubaki her room. BlackStar had already left to the beach with Crona to help set up a spot.

Lizzy wore a black bikini bottom and top with a single print of a white rose where her heart would be. Patty held out a hot pink one piece with a butterfly print on the back.

"Ready?" Lizzy asked her sister,

"Yep!"

Together they walked out of the hotel and to the beach. Maka and Tsubaki seemed to have already left because when they knocked on BlackStar's room, no one answered to them.

Patty noticed her sister's down mood but wasn't going to mention Kid's name because she knew it was about him. Instead, she tried to distract her sister.

"Look Lizzy! A hummingbird!" she squealed, Liz glanced at it for a moment and then a second hummingbird, a slightly bigger and darker one appeared beside the little one. Together they flew off. Again that stinging pain in her chest squeezed.

"Sissy, is that Maka over there?"

Patty pointed at a figure in a red spring dress. The top was a v cut with no sleeve, the waist line flares out and stops just above her knees, and she wore matching red heels. Her hair was kept down.

"Maka, you do realize that we're going to go swimming right?" Liz asked.

Maka glanced down at her dress, "Tsubaki made me" was all she said.

"Let's go!" Tsubaki came up behind Lizzy and Patty and pushed them forward along with Maka towards the beach.

When they got there, there was a crowd circling a stage where a single grand piano stood and a chair directly in front of it.

"Hey! What the-?" BlackStar walked by and carried Maka to the stage and sat her down on the chair in front of the piano. She looked at him confusedly and he just gave her a thumbs up. Tsubaki then had the mic and announced an introduction.

"Ladies and gentlemen! May I present to you, Soul Eater Evans whom recently wrote a beautiful piece in honors to Maka Albarn, his best friend!"

The audience clapped politely as a young white haired teenager in a formal black suit with red vertical stripes made his way to the center stage. He first bowed to the audience, then walked over to Maka, bend his head to kiss her cheek. The audience yelled out cutesy words and kept saying 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' at the mildly sweet display of affection. Maka blushed, Soul sat and awaited till their fellow audience calmed down. He then played a new melody, synchronizing a soft high pitch with mid-low, having to recently manage to compose his usual piece but making it sound sweeter. Pictures swirled in her mind of all the times they've had together. What they've went through, the struggles, laughs, silly arguments and most of all, their friendship. Her eyes tears up when the piece came to a painful end. Soul stood, the audience were feeling emotion but he ignored them and casually walks back to Maka and takes her hand, she followed him back to the piano.

"Remember those few keys I showed you?" he asked her. She didn't trust herself to speak yet so she nodded and tried to muffle a sniff. "Can you play them for me?" he asked.

Maka lifted her shaky hands to the piano and began composing the few notes that he taught her, Soul then joined her and together they made a light sounding symphony that lifted the audience's spirits and even caused a few laughs when they eventually tossed out the seriousness and played silly on the piano. The audience encored, their friends grinned, while Maka and Soul were playfully fighting for the same keys.

After the performance, Soul and Maka bowed to the crowed and left to a changing booth. Soul came out in navy blue trunks, Maka stepped out in Soul's 'MERCI' long sleeved shirt.

"Where's your swim clothes?" he asked her.

"Underneath" she said, not exactly comfortable yet with her body.

Soul on the other hand, stood with his hands in his hips. Apparently expecting her to take the shirt off right there so they can join the crowd in their swimming attires. "Maka?" he looked concerned, "why are you being so shy?"

"Why? Is there a problem? Is it not cool?" she deflected.

"Actually" he briefly glanced at her face then her stance, "its kind a cute"

This time the rest of her body colored with her face, "do you have to say things like that? It's embarrassing"

He grinned, "Take the shirt off Maka; let's go swimming"

She hesitated for a long moment, then slowly she lifted the shirt starting from the bottom. Half way up, Soul felt a tightness in chest. All the way off he felt tightness in another area too. 'Good thing the ocean water is freezing cold' he turned away before she got the chance to see his face.

"Soul" she whispered, "about what you said back then... To Kid… What did you mean?" she knew it wasn't a great time to be asking for something like that, but she just had to know.

Soul swept a hand through his hair then scratched the back of his ear. "I was… having issues on a matter."

"Was that matter me?"

"Yes and no…. I don't know, half of it was me I guess,"

"I don't get it" she frowned. Soul didn't know how else to say it so he quickly turned around and hugged her tight.

She stood rigid still because of the unexpectedness of the hug; and then she became stiff at the feel of something else stiffening against her belly.

"I am having issues with ummm," she could feel heat radiating from his face, "this is not cool"

She laughed whole heartedly and the rest of the day went by in a bliss. More than once she'd purposely did something in mock innocent and all sensual like walking in front of him so he can have a view of her swaying hips and then when she eats, she make little gasps and would slowly devour her meal. He grunted and glared at her for torturing him.

"Not cool" he keeps telling her, and whenever he did, she would walk away laughing. "I'll get you back" he promised.

She shrugged her shoulder as if bored, "okay" he lifted a brow and she grinned. What do you think about my bathing suit? I bought it recently from a local store.

"WOMAN!"

* * *

Lizzy left the party a very long while ago. She really did try to have fun, but after the performance, she couldn't help noticing that everyone had someone. She tried to ignore it, but it felt nearly impossible. Excusing herself despite the many protests, she returned to Kids room and waited for him again.


	12. Chapter 12

"Of course, father" Kid then turned to walk away.

"Before you go son" Lord Death called out, Kid turned around expecting to be handed another unexpected assignment to take care of. "Have fun on your trip!" he waved cheerfully. Kid nearly pumped into the pole.

"Right, thanks" and he left back to the islands of Hawaii.

* * *

"Lizzy baby!" a male's voice was knocking on the apartment door. She must have fallen asleep again waiting for Kid. "Lizzy! Oh Lizzy!" she heard the singsong calling for her.

"One moment please!" she tidied herself the best she could before opening the door just a crack to see who it was. "Oh, Francis. What are you doing here?"

"I saw you walk in here earlier, but anyway. I'd thought we'd hang out. Like good 'ole times" he made a lopsided grin. Somehow Liz knew that invited him in would be…. Wrong, she supposed. It wasn't even her apartment.

She opened the door a bit more and was just about to step outside but Francis instead barged in with her still in front him. He kicked the door behind him and grabbed her by the arms and forced her against the very same spot that she once stood before with Kid. Her back was pressed against the cold hard wall and she let out a yelp then glared at him.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

"Don't act like you hate this you little imp" he told her lowly, Lizzy felt a familiar fear coursing through entire body. This, was a similar setting. This was going way far back to the dark days of her life back on the streets. She broke into sobs, but still fought with her might to get him away. Without Kid or her sister, she was really just a normal harmless human girl. Defenseless for she had no actual fighting skills aside from great shooting aim and some high jumps and flips.

"Please stop"

"You little-!" he seemed to be furious with her for some reason. His eyes burned with disgust, "was he so good then? The best you ever had?" he mocked.

She shook her head in disbelief, having difficulty accepting that this was the same sweet guy she'd met the other day.

"So, you made me follow you around like an idiot, then all of a sudden your employer" he said that as if it was a gross thing, "comes around and I'm forgotten? Like I was some petty little bitch for you to mess with?" he shook his head. "I've got some news for you, nobody makes a fool out of me."

"I could always report you" she threatened.

He laughed, "Who's going to believe a little slut? I mean look at you. You work for a guy doing god knows what, and then there's the way you dress. Always overly revealing you are. Yeah, some sound argument you'll make."

His remarks fueled her anger enough to knee him, but he deflected her intend by turning his waist away. "You'll regret that"

* * *

Kid's mind was full of many things, first things first. He'll need to explain the misunderstanding. He really hoped that he could do that before he left, he was also going mention that he was called back to the academy to look into an investigation. But she instead ran off with that Francis guy.

He let out an explicit sound of aggravation. "Hell" he'd just gotten to the elevator and pressed the button to his floor. He wondered what she'd been up to lately, whether or not she worried about him. 'Ding!' goes the bell and the doors opened up from the middle.

A loud crashing sound interrupted his train of thoughts followed by a screech and a howl of pain before it registered into his mind that those noises were coming from…. "Hell and Damnation!"

He sprinted towards his room and found that the door was locked. Another crashing sound emerged from the inside. He took a step back then slammed into the door with the side of his shoulder and the door hinges flew off as it swung open. Lizzy stood atop of what looked like a crumbled up body of Francis. She then took a hasty step back and fell on her rear, tear stricken and shaken up on the floor.

Kid moved forward to get to her but Francis started laughing. "I guess they teach sluts how to fight now days, I wouldn't be surprised if she was from the streets" Kid's mind suddenly turned into blinded rage as he damaged Francis's already bruised body some more. BlackStar, Crona, and Soul ran into the room and found a very angry reaper nearly killing a human.

It took Soul and BlackStar to pry Kid away from his victim and Crona had to drag the man out of the room. Kid shrugged his arms away from his friends and yelled at them to get out. They looked at Liz, trying to find a way to get to her so they could also take her back to the girls room. Kid wouldn't allow that.

"Take her out of my sight and I swear I will do the most indescribable to you. No shinigami will ever compare to my methods, and even my father wouldn't be able to stop me," His threat worked well, for they turned around without a thought and left without looking back.

Kid was in the middle of taking several deep breaths when he felt the hem of his shirt being tugged. Lizzy had stopped sobbing and was now trying to sooth him. Ironic that she would think he needed one.

He took a knee down on the floor, wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and looked at her seriously, "did he hurt you?"

"He tried to, but I managed to keep him at bay" she said that while looking at the ground. "Where were you?" she asked through a broken sob and began weeping from what he believed was an after-shock. Truth was she was relief that he came back, though she knew that it was silly to worry about that; she couldn't help herself but to wonder.

He pulled her closer and tugged her head under his chin, "Shhh, it's over now. He's gone" he whispered, her sobs faltered a little. He thought she was crying about Francis. Maybe it was weird to think it but she thought it rather amusing.

"Kid?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for ruining my first date" she can feel a hesitant smile spreading on his face and even guessed how far up his eyebrow rose.

"Anytime"

* * *

"So what are we gonna do about him?" Soul looked down and the badly beaten tourist.

"Shouldn't we turn him in?" Crona asked.

"We should but I don't think he'll ever recover. What with Kid deforming the man's body and all" BlackStar joked, "dump him off at the front of the hospital and they'll take him in" he carelessly.

"I guess we could just call an ambulance, he doesn't look like he's going to make it." Soul was now poking him with a stick.

"Hiiiii!" Patty ran towards them.

"Patty! Close your eyes and turn around" Crona told her, he was worried that the sight might scar her innocent mind.

"Ohhhh! Dead man!" she squealed. She placed her hands on her knees and bend over the body to take a closer look. At that moment, Francis opened his eyes and instead of seeing Patty, he saw the face of her older sister.

"Ahhhhhh! Get away from me!" he yelled and jumped up, and actually sprinted away.

Patty was insulted, so she humped and stomped away. Crona went after her to try and comfort her hurt feelings.

"I guess that settles it" Soul stood up and put his arms behind his head. BlackStar shrugged and walked ahead of him.

"Soul! What are you doing over there?" Maka called from the lobby. "BlackStar!" Tsubaki called out and relaxed as he came nearer and nearer. "Why did you run off?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing much" he told her, "I just forgot to take out the trash."

She was confused by what he meant, but when he winked at her she decided she'll ask more about it later.

* * *

Patty stormed all the way back to the lobby. "Am I that ugly?" she demanded.

"Not at all" Crona protested, already wishing he'd at least punched the man.

"You're just being nice!"

"I'm not, Patricia"

"You… you…" she turned around to stare at him, "What did you call me?"

It almost seems a life time away since anyone used her birth name to her. Somehow it sounded foreign but intimate at the same time.

Crona sighed and gently pushed her into the elevator before entering himself. He pressed the button to their floor then gave her his attention. "Do you mind if I called you that?"

"Uh, no. I was just... Why?"

"I like it"

"Oh"

He smiled at her apologetically, "I think I made this awkward" two tiny blush dots dotted her cheeked. She turned her head away.

Crona then teased her by mocking what she'd said earlier, "Am I that ugly?" he asked in fake hurtfulness.

"No!" she said without thought and felt the pink dots turning darker.

He chuckled as the bell charmed and the doors split open from the middle. Reaching out to bring up her hand, he'd also searched into his pocket to fetch something with his free one. When he felt it, he pulled out his fist and dropped the object into her open palm. She gaped at it, while he then hold her other hand and for once, Crona led the way.

* * *

BlackStar and Tsubaki ran into Masuda once again just outside their hotel.

"Why the hell is he everywhere all of a sudden!?" BlackStar grumbled loudly and dragged Tsubaki to a different path.

* * *

Soul entered the lobby and picked up his bags, a basket with their lunch that Maka prepared, and a bottle that he'd bought from the local store.

Proceeding to their plans, they went to the beach to spend the rest of day there.

Soul stood still as Maka applied sunscreen on his before he spotted someone that he knew.

He did hope that the person would be here today. He told Maka that he forgot something and picked up the mysterious bottle and left the beach to the nearest restroom.

* * *

Out in the ocean Jon was catching most of the high waves as he was surfing. Way up high, he spotted Maka laid out on a towel in a two piece navy blue bikini. He was astounded by how curvy she actually was. And because he'd only seen her in clothes that almost looked baggy, he'd figured that she was about as flat as a board. But in her bikini, sure she was thin but her waist does span out lusciously. Her chest wasn't really flat, they weren't much in size either but she did have something there and was actually looking rather lovely today.

He'd directed his board to move towards her, until he noticed something coming towards him. At first he'd only seen a bit of whiteness then a long fin poked out of the water. 'it's the great white' he panicked and the shark jumped up and opened its mouth. Jon was now staring at many pointy teeth and screamed.

Jon then quickly directed his board the other way and as soon as he made it to shore, he packed up his things and left the beach.

Soul was cracking up under water. His hair, he'd somehow found a waterproof gel to make it stand up in mohawk fashion.

"Soul?" Maka called out when she didn't see him emerge from the water. She was walking towards the ocean and caught a glimpse of his hair poling out like a shark.

"You're going to scare the people" she told him in a disapproving tone. He grinned at her before narrowing his eyes. Then he looked every bit a real shark approaching its' prey.

"Soooooul" she said warningly, slowly backing away from him. He broke into a run and she squealed as she also runs but the other way.

"Help me!" she yelled laughingly to anybody and on and on the chase went.


	13. Chapter 13

Kid escorted Lizzy back to the girl's room later that evening with the incident. They didn't talk much, in fact there was a noticeable distance kept between them. Lizzy thought that maybe he had been disturbed and no longer had any interest in her. When in actuality, Kid was simply trying to give her some time to cope with what just nearly happen to her. He'd expected her to cry out of being traumatized; instead she kept a blank expression on her face. He'd known that it was a mask to her true thoughts, but he'd wait until she comes around again.

He cursed himself for being gone for too long, and also for not being there before that Francis got to her and nearly… he shook his head, his reaper powers barely contained as his rage was coloring the aura around him. Even humans who lack the sixth sense felt his ominous power and kept a distanced, careful not to make eye contacts though they knew not why they feared him.

"Good night" Lizzy said softly without bothering to look at him.

He nodded his head and turned away, considering about changing his room so the image of the incident wouldn't plague his mind.

* * *

*Back to present*

"Hey, Tsubaki" BlackStar called from atop of a 40 foot cliff. "Watch me as I perform the ultimate canon ball!" he yelled.

From the shore, Tsubaki in her black one piece stared up in admiration. BlackStar took a few steps back and ran forward and jumped. However, before he jumped off, a lose rock caused him to lose his footing so instead of forming a cannon ball, he squirmed in midair and landed into the ocean flat on his back.

"BlackStar!" Tsubaki dived into the water.

"Bwahahahahahah! Did you see that Maka?!" Soul was rolling in the sand, his hair still up in a shark-like fin.

Maka was sitting on a towel giggling at the sight. Crona looked at the water with nervous concern. Patty was building a sand castle.

Lizzy arrived as Tsubaki was dragging BlackStar to the sand. She looked around, noting that everyone was already here but Kid.

"Sissy!" Patty hugged her sister, Crona stood behind Patty, his eyes mirroring that of concern and grief. Lizzy ignored him and smiled fondly at her sister.

"Having fun?" she asked joyously.

Crona's eyes narrowed, but remained quiet.

Soul looked at Lizzy, the smile was clearly fake but if she wanted to pretend that whatever happened last night with Francis never occurred. Then so be it.

"There's some hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill Lizzy!" he invited her.

"Great! I'm starving!"

Two hours passed by quickly for everyone but Lizzy and there was still no sign of Kid.

BlackStar's cellphone rang. Since he was busy in the ocean, Tsubaki walked by and answered the call for him.

"Good Afternoon" she greeted politely. She nodded her head and made agreement sounds like "mm-mhm" and "uh huh". Lizzy wasn't paying much attention until Tsubaki hung up the phone and announced that Kid was now on his way.

Perked up a little, Lizzy instinctively fixed her hair. Crona was still quiet, keeping his eyes trained on Lizzy in case there was a moment that she really needed to talk to somebody. For a boy who'd only ever knew pain before joy and friendship, he was deeply concerned for the older sister of his fancy.

BlackStar approached Lizzy and bluntly said to her in a loud and clear voice, saying that she shouldn't dwell on what happened last night. Maka, Tsubaki, and Patty stared at BlackStar and Lizzy in confusion. For one thing, they were clueless about last night.

Crona marched to him and actually hit BlackStar in the back of his head and watched him fall sideways unconcious. The idiot doesn't understand that time and patient was all she required to heal. But to bring it out in the open humiliating her in such a way was too much. It aggravated Crona that BlackStar doesn't understand when to not be so forward.

He knew that the assassin was trying to be helpful in his own way. However, the thing about BlackStar was that sometimes he makes things worst.

Turning back to Lizzy, he forced an encouraging smile and offered to talk about it if she'd like to. She stood her ground feeling her tears coming in. She hated looking so vulnerable but there were a few things that she would very much like to get off of her chest.

She nodded and they strolled to the farthest side of the beach.

Patty looked on, bumped out that her own sister didn't say anything about whatever happened last night. Didn't she know that Patty was the one who had been there through the worst of their times. There were no secrets between the two. She watched the back of Crona fondly. She then decided selflessly that it didn't matter to whomever her sister chooses to talk to, so long as she had been heard. Satisfied that Crona was the one handling this, because if Lizzy trusted her thoughts to him, then she would surely trust him with Patty and approve of their plans…. Later.

* * *

Kid was wearing a plain white long sleeve shirt and black swim trunks. He noticed a few yards ago that Lizzy wasn't around and neither was Crona.

"Patty"

"Yep!" she bounced to his side.

"Where's your sister and Crona?"

"Over there. They're talking about personal matters" she informed him rather bluntly.

Kid nodded his head curtly and turned to the direction she indicated. Lizzy displayed a series of emotions as she was walking back. At first he could make out that she was depressed. Then serene, and then the corners of her lips were tugging upward.

* * *

"So you see, he thought that your sister was you and somehow he gained back enough strength to run away. Possibly faster than even BlackStar" he told her excitedly.

Lizzy burst into laughter while wiping away a tear that was going down the corner of one eye. Her talk with Crona rebooted her spirits. At first she didn't know what to say so she started from the beginning. What Soul and Kid were talking about, then how they met Francis and Jon. The First date and then last night. Crona listened intently the whole while, drawing conclusions of his own until he found the source of her devastation.

It all came down to the very fact that she'd fallen in love with the reaper's son. Perhaps in the back of his mind, he'd expected it to happen. But the full force of her feelings was what blew his mind away.

Earlier what bothered her wasn't about what happened last night. Not really anyway. The real issue was that Kid seemed distant all of a sudden. Crona couldn't think of a valid reason for Kid's action so he remained quiet and let her pour out her deepest thoughts.

Looking up he spotted Kid looking directly at him. At first his face was a mixture of jealousy and worry combined. But then he masked it quickly to detachment.

Crona was instantly irritated all over again.

* * *

Soul felt the tension in the air and urged Maka to the dressing rooms.

"Why are we leaving so early?" she asked him.

"There was something I wanted to show you!" he said really fast.

She asked what it was and he quickly scanned through any points from the brochure may be interesting to her. 'Boring! Think of something boring!' he told himself.

The statue that BlackStar climbed on the first day came to view and an idea clicked in his head.

"The museum! You like those old junks…. I mean, historical places and stuff, right?"

Her eyes gleamed; she already knew where she'd like to visit first and speedily led the way.

* * *

BlackStar climbed back on the rock, and ran again. Tsubaki watched worriedly from the shorelines. Ready to dive in, which she did for the fourth time. BlackStar for some reason couldn't seem to get that right. The last time he did but because he was too busy whooping with joy, he'd forgot to form the cannon ball again and landed flat on his back.

Crona and Patty were walking towards the farthest part of the beach, taking the same path that he and her sister took. The only reason was because Patty was slightly jealous at what is usually a romantic gesture. Except unlike his walk with her older sister, Patty was the one who held on to Crona's arm like a 'real' couple. The people who watched him walk by the first time were now wondering how this guy was getting hot babes.

Kid and Lizzy sat on their own separate towels a yard and a half apart from each other. Kid trained his eyes to keep forward while Lizzy sneaked glances his way.

He's seen them but didn't know what to say so he remained as he was. Lizzy's earlier mirth was slowly going back to being gloomy.

Half an hour later Kid finally turned his head towards her, but she now had her back on him with her head down. Lost in his own thoughts he hadn't noticed that she switched her position. Noticing the other Thompson sister coming back, he retrained his eyes towards the water again.

Patty and Crona were laughing about a surfer who fell off his board and knocked over some guy's ice-cream cone from his hand. Crona glanced at the two who sat separately and wondered what was keeping them so distant. His sympathies went to Lizzy, and irritation to Kid.

* * *

Lizzy, Patty, and Tsubaki went to the dressing room to change into their normal attire while Crona and BlackStar stayed with Kid.

"Can I inquire something?" Crona said aloud.

Kid figured that he was talking to him so he just shrugged his shoulder.

"Are you aware of the pain you are causing Lizzy"

That he didn't expect to hear. He whipped his head to the boy with purple-pink hair. BlackStar just ate a whole hotdog, talking with his mouth full.

"She's been looking depressed, you should talk to her" he said in-between chewing.

"I agree" Crona said seriously. Kid stayed quiet, he really didn't know what to say or how to make her feel any better.

When the girls came back, each latched to their partners and departed. Lizzy stayed behind and Kid wasn't inclined to go anywhere without her.

"Elizabeth" he said.

She looked at him.

"I'm sorry" he finally said.

"I'm sorry too" she said in relief, at least he was talking to her again.

*I know that this chapter is too wordy and maybe too serious but I promise that things picks up again! There still have at least five or six days left before vacation ends. And please bear with me for I struggle to find time now days but I'll keep posting. Thank you for the compliments from the previous chapters!*


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